Funding and Disclosure
In this Section:
The funding and disclosure provisions of the Act have been in operation since the 1984 election. These provisions of the Act have two main components:
- public funding of election campaigns
- disclosure of certain financial details by candidates, registered political parties and other persons (third parties) and groups (return forms are submitted to the AEC).
Election funding
Candidates receive election funding if they obtain at least four percent of the first preference vote
A candidate or Senate group is eligible for election funding if they obtain at least four per cent of the formal first preference votes in the division or the State/Territory they contested. The amount to be paid is calculated by multiplying the number of votes obtained by the current election funding rate. The funding rate for the 2004 election was 194.397 cents per eligible vote. This rate is indexed every six months to increases in the Consumer Price Index.
Election funding is paid in two stages. First, the AEC calculates the amount of election funding due based on the number of votes counted as at the 20th day after election day and pays at least 95% of that amount. Secondly, once vote counting is finalised, the AEC pays the remainder of the amount of election funding due. The total election funding paid at the 2004 federal election was $41 926 158.91. For candidates and Senate groups endorsed by registered political parties, payments are made directly to their parties. Unendorsed candidates and Senate groups receive their payments direct, unless they have appointed an agent who is to receive the payment.
Total election funding payments for the 2004 federal election are listed below:
| Name | Amount |
|---|---|
| Liberal Party of Australia | $17,956,326.48 |
| Australian Labor Party | $16,710,043.43 |
| Australian Greens | $3,316,702.48 |
| National Party of Australia | $2,966,531.27 |
| Northern Territory Country Liberal Party | $158,973.97 |
| Family First Party | $158,451.04 |
| Pauline Hanson’s One Nation | $56,215.73 |
| Australian Democrats | $8,491.26 |
| Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) | $6,572.56 |
| No Goods and Services Tax Party | $5,995.20 |
| Pauline Hanson | $199,886.77 |
| Antony (Tony) Windsor | $89,562.59 |
| Peter Andren | $79,413.12 |
| Robert (Bob) Katter | $63,544.49 |
| Peter King | $25,730.39 |
| Brian Deegan | $24,449.31 |
| Lars Hedberg | $19,400.82 |
| Graeme Campbell | $12,935.18 |
| Robert (Rob) Bryant | $12,120.65 |
| Robert Dunn | $11,761.02 |
| Margaret F Menzel | $10,977.60 |
| Darren Power | $9,980.34 |
| Bruce Haigh | $7,381.25 |
| Jeanette (Jen) Sackley | $7,365.70 |
| Samir (Sam) Bargshoon | $7,346.26 |
| TOTAL | $41,926,158.91 |
Receipt of returns
Following an election key participants in the electoral process are required to lodge with the AEC various returns disclosing certain election campaign transactions. A summary table of the returns is presented below.
All these returns are available for public inspection 24 weeks after election day, from Tuesday, 29 March 2005.
The AEC is required under subsection 17(2) of the Act to prepare a separate report for the Minister on the operations of the funding and disclosure provisions in relation to the 2004 federal election. This report will be tabled in Parliament.
| PARTICIPANT | TYPE OF RETURN | TIME FRAME | DUE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Donations received and electoral expenditure | Within 15 weeks after election day | 24 January 2005 |
| Senate groups | Donations received and electoral expenditure | Within 15 weeks after election day | 24 January 2005 |
| Third parties | Details of electoral expenditure, donations received, donations made to candidates and others. | Within 15 weeks after election day | 24 January 2005 |
| Broadcasters | Electoral advertisements broadcast | Within 8 weeks after election day | 6 December 2004 |
| Publishers | Electoral advertisements published | Within 8 weeks after election day | 6 December 2004 |
Registered political parties
Political parties may register with the AEC for federal elections. Parties which register then must fulfil legislative requirements under the funding and disclosure provisions of the Act and are able to have party names appear on the ballot paper next to their candidates. Some parties, such as the Australian Democrats, do not separately register their State and Territory branches, but such branches are nevertheless recognised as independent registered parties for funding and disclosure purposes. For federal elections the register is closed from the day the writ is issued. For the 2004 federal election the register closed on 30 August 2004.
Following is a list of parties registered for the 2004 election:
| Party |
|---|
| Advance Australia Party |
| Australian Democrats |
| Australian Greens |
| Australian Labor Party (ACT Branch) |
| Australian Labor Party (ALP) |
| Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch) |
| Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch) |
| Australian Labor Party (South Australian Branch) |
| Australian Labor Party (State of Queensland) |
| Australian Labor Party (Tasmanian Branch) |
| Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch) |
| Australian Labor Party (Western Australian Branch) |
| Australian Progressive Alliance |
| Australians Against Further Immigration |
| Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) |
| Citizens Electoral Council of Australia (NSW Division) |
| Citizens Electoral Council of Australia |
| Country Labor Party |
| Curtin Labor Alliance |
| Democratic Labor Party (DLP) of Australia |
| Ex-Service, Service & Veterans Party |
| Family First Party |
| Help End Marijuana Prohibition |
| Hope Party Australia-ethics equality ecology |
| liberals for forests |
| Liberal Party (WA Division) Inc. |
| Liberal Party of Australia |
| Liberal Party of Australia (SA Division) |
| Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division) |
| Liberal Party of Australia-ACT Division |
| Liberal Party of Australia-Queensland Division |
| Liberal Party of Australia-Tasmanian Division |
| Liberal Party of Australia, NSW Division |
| Lower Excise Fuel and Beer Party |
| National Party of Australia |
| National Party of Australia (Queensland) |
| National Party of Australia (SA) Inc |
| National Party of Australia (WA) Inc |
| National Party of Australia-NSW |
| National Party of Australia-Victoria |
| New Country Party |
| No Goods and Services Tax Party |
| Non-Custodial Parents Party |
| Northern Territory Country Liberal Party |
| Nuclear Disarmament Party of Australia |
| Outdoor Recreation Party |
| Pauline Hanson’s One Nation |
| Pauline Hanson’s One Nation (NSW Division) |
| Progressive Labour Party |
| Queensland Greens |
| Republican Party of Australia |
| Save the ADI Site Party |
| Socialist Alliance |
| Tasmania First Party |
| Tasmanian Independent Senator Brian Harradine Group |
| The Aged and Disability Pensioners Party |
| The Australian Greens-Victoria |
| The Fishing Party |
| The Great Australians |
| The Greens (WA) Inc |
| The Greens NSW |
| Young National Party of Australia |