Looking for penalties associated with a referendum? Go to Penalties – referendum disclosure
Civil and criminal penalties associated with financial disclosure and election funding affect political parties, members of the House of Representatives, Senators, significant third parties, associated entities, third parties, candidates, Senate groups and donors. The tables below provide civil and criminal penalties. The value of a penalty unit is set by section 4AA of the Crimes Act 1914. The value of the penalty unit that applies is determined by the date of the breach or offence.
In addition to the penalties listed below, it is also an offence to provide false or misleading information under section 137.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.
If you have any queries about penalties relating to financial disclosure, email fad@aec.gov.au or call on 02 6271 4552.
Breach/offence |
Applies to |
Maximum civil penalty |
Maximum criminal penalty |
---|---|---|---|
Incurring electoral expenditure, or fundraising any amounts for the purposes of incurring electoral expenditure, if the person or entity is required to be registered as a significant third party for a financial year |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 287F(3) |
Not applicable |
Incurring electoral expenditure, or fundraising any amounts for the purposes of incurring electoral expenditure, if the entity is required to be registered as an associated entity for a financial year |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 287H(3) |
Not applicable |
Failure to notify the Electoral Commissioner within 90 days if information on the Transparency Register ceases to be correct or complete |
|
60 penalty units s 287P(2) |
Not applicable |
Breach/offence |
Applies to |
Maximum civil penalty |
Maximum criminal penalty |
---|---|---|---|
Failure of a member of the House of Representatives, Senator, political entity (registered political party, candidate and Senate group), significant third party or associated entity, to take acceptable action in relation to a foreign donation |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 302D(3) |
200 penalty units s 302D(2) |
Failure of a third party to take acceptable action in relation to a foreign donation |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 302E(4) |
50 penalty units s 302E(3) |
Failure to take acceptable action in relation to a foreign donation provided for the purpose of incurring electoral expenditure (offence by gift recipient) |
|
Whichever is the higher:
s 302F(5) |
For contravention of s 302F(1) by a third party:
s 302F(3) For contravention of s 302F(1) by a person or entity other than a third party:
s 302F(3) |
Failure to take acceptable action in relation to a foreign donation provided for the purpose of incurring electoral expenditure (offence by foreign donor) |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 302F(5) |
For contravention of s 302F(2):
s 302F(3) |
Knowingly providing a false affirmation or information that a donor is not a foreign donor |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 302G(4) |
100 penalty units s 302G(2) |
Contravening an anti-avoidance notice relating to sections 302D, 302E or 302F |
|
Whichever is higher:
s 302H(5) |
200 penalty units s 302H(3) |
Contravening an anti-avoidance notice relating to section 314AJ |
|
Whichever is higher:
s 314AK(3) |
Not applicable |
Breach/offence |
Applies to |
Maximum civil penalty |
Maximum criminal penalty |
---|---|---|---|
Failure to provide a return disclosing gifts received |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 304(2) |
Not applicable |
Failure to provide a return disclosing gifts received |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 304(3) |
Not applicable |
Failure to provide a return disclosing gifts to any candidate or member of a group valued at more than the disclosure threshold |
|
Whichever is higher:
s 305A(2) |
Not applicable |
Failure to provide a return disclosing gifts to a political party or significant third party totalling more than the disclosure threshold in a financial year |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 305B(1) |
Not applicable |
Failure to provide a return disclosing gifts to a member of the House of Representatives or Senator totalling more than the disclosure threshold in a financial year that were made for federal purposes |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 306(1) |
Not applicable |
Breach/offence |
Applies to |
Maximum civil penalty |
Maximum criminal penalty |
---|---|---|---|
Failure to provide a return disclosing the amount of electoral expenditure for an election |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 309(2) |
Not applicable |
Failure to provide a return disclosing the amount of electoral expenditure for an election |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 309(3) |
Not applicable |
Breach/offence |
Applies to |
Maximum civil penalty |
Maximum criminal penalty |
---|---|---|---|
Failure to provide an annual return for a registered political party and a significant third party |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 314AB(1) |
Not applicable |
Failure to provide an annual return for the previous financial year when registered |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 314AB(3A) |
Not applicable |
Failure to provide an annual return for an associated entity |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 314AEA(1) |
Not applicable |
Failure to provide an annual return for the previous financial year when registered |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 314AEA(2) |
Not applicable |
Failure to provide an annual return for a third party |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 314AEB(1) |
Not applicable |
Failure to |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 314AED(1) |
Not applicable |
Breach/offence |
Applies to |
Maximum civil penalty |
Maximum criminal penalty |
---|---|---|---|
Incurring electoral expenditure, or fundraising amounts for the purposes of incurring electoral expenditure, of $1,000 or more in a financial year |
|
Whichever is higher of:
s 314AJ(1) |
Not applicable |
Breach/offence |
Applies to |
Maximum civil penalty |
Maximum criminal penalty |
---|---|---|---|
Refusal to comply with a notice relating to a compliance review or investigation |
In relation to s 316(2A):
In relation to s 316(3):
In relation to s 316(3A):
|
Not applicable |
For a refusal to comply with a notice under s 316(2A), (3) or (3A):
s 316(5) |
Failure to comply with a notice relating to a compliance review or investigation |
In relation to s 316(2A):
In relation to s 316(3):
In relation to s 316(3A):
|
Not applicable |
For a failure to comply with a notice under s 316(2A), (3) or (3A):
s 316(5A) |
Providing false or misleading information during a compliance review or investigation |
In relation to s 316(2A):
In relation to s 316(3):
In relation to s 316(3A):
|
Not applicable |
For providing false or misleading information under s 316(2A), (3) or (3A):
s 316(6) |
Breach/offence |
Applies to |
Maximum civil penalty |
Maximum criminal penalty |
---|---|---|---|
Failure to keep records |
|
s 317(1)
s 317(1A) |
Not applicable |