Parties and Candidates

Council elections

Local government elections – South Australia

Council elections – update

The next periodic local government council elections will now be held in April 2027 (previously scheduled for November 2026).

State elections

House of Assembly and Legislative Council elections – South Australia

Need help?: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Definition

An agent is a person appointed by a registered political party, candidate, group of candidates or third party to manage their funding and disclosure obligations under Part 13A of the Electoral Act 1985 (the Act). Agents can be formally appointed or deemed to be agents under the legislation.

Agents are responsible for ensuring the person or organisation they represent meets all legal requirements for funding and disclosure.

👉 View the Agents Information Sheet (PDF, 436KB)

👉 View the current register of agents.

Eligibility criteria

The person must be a natural person aged 18 years or over.
A person cannot act as an agent if they have been convicted of a prescribed offence (section 130G(3)).

Agent roles by recipient type

The Act sets out who the agent is for each type of recipient.

Recipient	Agent
Registered political party	Must appoint a person to be the agent of the party. By default, the party agent is also the agent for any endorsed candidates or members of a group of candidates.
Candidate in an election	May appoint a person to be their agent. If no appointment is made, the candidate is taken to be their own agent.
Members of a group of candidates	May appoint a person to be the agent of the group. If no appointment is made, the candidate whose name appears first in the group on the ballot paper is taken to be the agent.
Third party	May appoint a person to be their agent. If no appointment is made: (a) where the third party is a natural person, the third party is taken to be the agent; (b) in any other case, each member of the executive committee is taken to be the agent.
Associated entity	May appoint a person to be their agent. If no appointment is made, the financial controller of the associated entity is taken to be the agent.

Appointing an agent

The appointment must be made in writing and include:

The name and address of the proposed agent.
A signed consent and declaration confirming eligibility.

Candidates, groups, and third parties cannot change their agent after the close of nominations. Registered political parties are the only recipients permitted to change their agent after the close of nominations (section 130G(4)).

Acting agent appointment

If an agent is temporarily unavailable, they can appoint a qualified acting agent in writing to carry out their duties. The appointment must include the acting agent’s name and address and be sent to the Electoral Commissioner.

The appointment can last up to 3 months and starts only when the Commissioner receives a copy.
The appointment ends early if the original agent’s role ends or the acting agent is convicted of a relevant offence.
While an acting agent is appointed, the original agent cannot perform their functions.
The appointment can be revoked in writing, with a copy sent to the Commissioner.

Changing or ending an agent appointment

Revoking an agent

Candidates, groups of candidates, third parties, and associated entities can revoke their agent by giving written notice to the Electoral Commissioner. The notice must be signed by the candidate, each member of the group, or the third party, as relevant.

A registered political party may only revoke an agent's appointment if they also give a notice of appointment of another agent.

Death or resignation

If the agent dies or resigns, the relevant person must, within 7 days, give the Electoral Commissioner notice in writing. Registered political parties must provide notice and appoint another agent within 28 days of the agent’s death.

Conviction of an offence

If an agent is convicted of an offence under Part 13A of the Act or Part 20 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, their appointment automatically ends (subject to any appeal). The appointing person or body must notify the Electoral Commissioner of a replacement agent within 28 days of the conviction, or if there is an appeal, within 28 days of the appeal being determined. Registered political parties must also notify the Electoral Commissioner of the replacement agent within the same timeframes.

Obligations of an agent

General obligations

Set up a state campaign account (section 130K).
Manage funds correctly: ensure all donations are paid into the campaign account and all political spending comes out of it (sections 130L and 130M).
Keep accurate records: record donations of $200 or more and loans of $500 or more.
Lodge returns for their client at the required times.
Provide audit certificates for returns, or apply for a waiver from the Electoral Commissioner (section 130ZV).
Comply with notices to produce information or give evidence (section 130ZZB).
Inform donors or loan providers about reporting obligations (sections 130ZG(7) and 130ZH(8)).
Monitor expenditure: ensure the client does not exceed the allowed expenditure cap if participating in the public funding scheme.

Additional obligations for registered political party agents

Keep administrative funding separate (section 130W).
Notify the Electoral Commissioner if the party shares its capped political expenditure with candidates (section 130Z(3)).
Negotiate shared public funding with another registered party (section 130R(4)).
Lodge a claim for administrative funding (section 130U).

Penalties for non-compliance

Prosecution: Agents can be prosecuted for failing to meet their legal responsibilities.
Fines: Offences against Part 13A attract fines ranging from $1,500 to $50,000.
Loss of eligibility: A person convicted of an offence under Part 13A is not eligible to act as an agent.

Prescribed details for returns

Under the Act, agents appointed by registered political parties, third parties, and associated entities are legally responsible for submitting accurate and complete returns to ECSA. These returns must include prescribed details to meet funding and disclosure obligations. These include:

Agent information: Name, contact details, and appointment status.
State campaign account details: Bank name, account number, and registration confirmation.
Receipts and debts: All amounts received or owed over $1,000, including the name and address of the donor or creditor.
Donations: Source, amount, purpose, and confirmation that the donor is not a foreign entity.
Political expenditure: Evidence of campaign-related spending.
Annual and election returns: Lodged within statutory timeframes.

If the donor or creditor is an association, trust, foundation, or body corporate, the return must also include:

Names of executive committee or board members.
Parent, subsidiary, or related entities.
These details can be omitted if they are publicly available and the return includes a reference and website link to the publication.

Record retention requirements

Agents must keep any document that contains information included (or required to be included) in a return for at least 4 years from the date of the relevant election (section 130ZZA).

Donation and loan recordkeeping

Donations: Record the name and address of donors for any donations of $200 or more (section 130ZJ).
Loans: Record the terms and lender details for loans of $500 or more, unless from a financial institution.

Financial institutions include ADIs (banks, credit unions, building societies) or other bodies prescribed by regulation.

What counts as a loan

Includes advances, credit, financial accommodation, or any transaction that effectively results in a loan, including credit card transactions.

Additional entity details

If a donation or loan comes from a trust, foundation, board, or association, record the names of all trustees or governing members.

Disclosure threshold

Donations or loans over $1,000 (indexed) must be disclosed in a return.
You must still maintain the required records, even if disclosure is not required.

Responding to evidence requests

The Electoral Commissioner may require a person to produce documents or appear to give evidence; non-compliance or the provision of false information attracts a penalty of up to $10,000 (section 130ZZB).

Register of agents

Party name	Agent
Animal Justice Party	Lionel Pengilley
Australian Citizens Party (SA) Division	Craig Isherwood
Australian Family Party	Robert Day
Australian Greens SA	Diane Atkinson
Australian Labor Party (SA Branch)	Aemon Bourke
Family First Party Inc	John Snelling
For Unley	Ryan Harrison
Jing Lee - Better Community	Eddie Liew
Legalise Cannabis SA Party	Jason Meotti
Liberal Party of Australia (SA Division)	Alexander Hyde
Libertarian Party SA	Jessica Colby
National Party of Australia (SA) Inc	Grantley Mason Siviour
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation	Carlos Quaremba
SA Socialists	Phoebe Kelloway
SA-BEST Inc	Rocco Romeo
Sarah Game Fair Go for Australians	John Lutman
STEPHEN PALLARAS REAL CHANGE SA	Daniel Pallaras
United Voice Australia Party	Helen Hoare

In accordance with Part 13A of the Electoral Act 1985, the Electoral Commissioner is legally required to publish all disclosure returns submitted by political parties, candidates, associated entities, third parties, and donors. These returns provide transparency around political funding and expenditure, helping to uphold the integrity of South Australia's electoral system.

Return period: 1 January 2024 onwards

Returns can be viewed on the current funding and disclosure portal.

Return period: 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2023 (FAD Portal)

Returns can be viewed on the archived funding and disclosure portal or as set out below:

Return period: 1 July 2022 to 31 December 2022

Associated entity

Political party

Return period: 19 April 2022 to 30 June 2022

Associated entity

Political party

Return period: 1 January 2017 to 30 June 2017

Associated entity

Donor

Political party

Return period: 1 July 2016 to 31 December 2016

Associated entity

Donor

Political party

Political expenditure returns: 2016-2017

You can also inspect returns by appointment.

Overview

Advance public funding is a new initiative introduced under the Electoral (Accountability and Integrity) Amendment Act 2024. It provides eligible political participants with early access to public funds to support their state election campaigns.

This funding is available to candidates, groups, registered political parties, and independent members who meet specific requirements and lodge the appropriate certificate before polling day. Payments are made in instalments and are calculated based on previous election results or a legislated set amount.

Advance funding is designed to help cover legitimate campaign costs during the capped expenditure period. Strict rules apply to eligibility, timing, use of funds, and repayment obligations.

For full requirements and processes, see the Advance Funding Guide (PDF, 293KB).

General elections

Under section 130PA of the Electoral Act 1985 (the Act), the Electoral Commissioner may provide advance public funding to eligible political participants contesting House of Assembly districts in a general election. These payments are made in 2 instalments and are designed to assist with campaign costs.

Eligibility

Advance payments are available to:

Registered political parties
Entitled registered political parties
Independent members of parliament
Entitled candidates (not endorsed by a party).

To receive funding, the agent of the recipient must lodge a section 130PF certificate with the Electoral Commissioner before polling day.

Payment structure

Advance funding is paid in 2 instalments:

Payment A: 60% of the notional amount (or set amount if not recontesting)
- Payment A is made after the section 130PF certificate is lodged.
Payment B: 20% of the notional amount (or set amount if not recontesting)
- Payment B is made after the writ is issued*.

* For entitled candidates and groups, payment B is triggered by the nomination of the candidate(s), not the issue of the writ.

Payments are made to the state campaign account, not to individuals.

How it's calculated

Notional amount = (eligible votes from previous election x per-vote amount) minus deductible amount (section 130Q).

Funding is based on estimated entitlement under section 130P, using either:

Previous state election results (notional amount), or
A set amount fixed by legislation.

Advance funding by recipient

Recipient	Payment A	Payment B
Registered political party (including LC minor party)	60% notional amount	20% notional amount
Entitled registered political party (endorsed candidates who are not current or former MPs)	60% notional amount (recontesting) $2,500 per candidate (2026 indexed, not recontesting)	20% notional amount (recontesting) $2,500 per candidate (2026 indexed, not recontesting)
Independent member or group (current or former MPs)	60% notional amount	20% notional amount
Entitled candidate or group (not endorsed by a party and not a current/former MP)	60% notional amount (recontesting) $2,500 per candidate (2026 indexed, not recontesting)	20% notional amount (recontesting) $2,500 per candidate (2026 indexed, not recontesting)

Note: Candidates who have already provided 20 nominators for advance funding don’t need to supply them again.

Lodging a section 130PF certificate

Timing:

Must be lodged after the capped expenditure period begins.
Must be lodged before polling day.
If the certificate is lodged after the writ but before polling day, payment A and B are combined into one payment.

Once lodged:

The certificate cannot be withdrawn.

Missed deadline:

No advance funding will be paid.
You may still qualify under section 130Q(3)(b) if a section 130Q certificate is lodged within 14 days after polling day.

Early payment of certain advance funding

Under section 130PD of the Act, certain political participants may request an early payment of a portion of their advance public funding before the capped expenditure period begins.

👉 See advance funding early payment page for more information

Deductions and repayments

Section 130PE of the Act outlines how advance public funding received under sections 130PA to 130PD is managed in relation to final public funding entitlements for House of Assembly elections.

Deductions

Any advance funding received for House of Assembly elections will be deducted from the amount of public funding payable under section 130P.

Repayment

The Electoral Commissioner may require repayment of advance funding if any of the following conditions apply:

Non-participation
No candidate, group or party is nominated for the election.
Exception: A valid reason for non-participation may be accepted by the Electoral Commissioner.
No entitlement to public funding
Repayment may be required if the agent represents:
- A party with no members of parliament at the time of dissolution.
- A candidate or group with no parliamentary representation
  and there is no entitlement under section 130Q(1) or (2).

Vote threshold not met
Candidates or groups must receive at least 4% of first preference votes in the election to retain advance funding.

Party dissolution
Advance funding must be repaid if the party:
- Ceases to operate
- Is deregistered, or
- Is being dissolved or wound up before polling day.

Compliance and auditing

Participants who receive advance public funding are subject to compliance obligations under the Act and the Regulations. These obligations ensure that public funds are used appropriately and transparently.

Record-keeping requirements

All participants must maintain accurate and complete records of:

Campaign-related expenditure funded by advance payments.
Invoices, receipts, and contracts for goods and services.
Staff employment records and payment details.
Advertising materials and distribution logs.
Bank statements for the state campaign account.

Records must be retained for at least 4 years after polling day and be made available to the Electoral Commissioner upon request.

Auditing and review

The Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA) may:

Audit campaign expenditure to verify compliance with funding rules.
Request supporting documentation for any claimed expenses.
Investigate potential misuse of public funds or breaches of the Act.

Participants may be required to repay funds if:

Expenditure is found to be ineligible.
Records are incomplete or inaccurate.
The participant fails to meet vote thresholds or other eligibility criteria.

Penalties for non-compliance

Failure to comply with funding conditions may result in:

Repayment of advance funding.
Loss of future funding eligibility.
Referral for investigation under electoral or criminal law.

ECSA encourages all participants to seek professional advice and maintain strong financial governance throughout the campaign period.

By-elections

Under Section 130PB of the Act, candidates and registered political parties participating in a House of Assembly by-election may be eligible for advance public funding.

Eligibility

Advance payments may be made to:

Entitled registered political parties that endorse a candidate.
Entitled candidates, whether endorsed or independent.

Types of payments

Recipient	Payment
Entitled registered political party (endorses a candidate)	80% of the notional amount (if recontesting) Designated amount (if not recontesting)
Entitled candidate (not endorsed by a party)	80% notional amount (if recontesting) Designated amount (if not recontesting)

Notional amount = eligible votes from previous election x per-vote funding rate under section 130P.

(This applies whether the previous election was part of a general election or a standalone district election.)

Designated amount = the lesser of:

$50,000 ÷ total number of endorsed candidates (2026 indexed), or
$5,000 (2026 indexed).

Disclosure period

The disclosure period for a House of Assembly by-election runs from the day the vacancy is announced until 30 days after polling day.

Certificate requirements

The agent must lodge a section 130PF certificate before polling day to receive payment. Payments are made to the state campaign account, not to individuals. If this deadline is missed, a section 130Q certificate may be lodged within 14 days after polling day. Payments are made as soon as reasonably practicable after the agent lodges the certificate.

Page 7 of 11

Parties and candidates

Council elections – update

Candidates

Political parties

Funding and disclosure

Registers

Advertising

Resources

Agents

Disclosure returns – state elections

Advance funding – House of Assembly