Third parties
Appointing an agent
For more information, refer to Part 13A of the Electoral Act 1985.
What is an agent?
An agent is a person appointed by a registered political party, candidate, group of candidates, or third party to manage their obligations under Part 13A.
An agent must be a natural person who has attained 18 years of age. A person is not eligible to be an agent if they have been convicted of a prescribed offence (section 130G(3)).
More information can be found on our agents page.
Who needs an agent?
All registered political parties must appoint an agent. If a registered political party has endorsed:
- a candidate, or
- all members of a group,
then the party agent is also the agent of the candidate or group, as the case may be.
An unendorsed candidate, an unendorsed group, or a third party may appoint an agent.
If an unendorsed candidate does not appoint an agent, they are their own agent.
If an unendorsed group does not appoint an agent, then the candidate whose name appears first on the ballot papers is the agent for the group.
If a third party does not appoint an agent, and the third party is a natural person, then they are the agent. In any other case, each member of the executive committee is the agent.
How to appoint an agent
The agent must be appointed in writing. The appointment must include the name and address of the proposed agent and a signed form of consent and declaration by the proposed agent that they are eligible for appointment.
Candidates, groups and third parties are not permitted to change their agent after close of nominations. Your agent as at the close of nominations will be your agent for the duration of the election. Only registered political parties may change their agent after the close of nominations (section 130G(4)).
Please visit our funding and disclosure forms page to download an agent appointment form.
Terminating an agent's appointment
Revoking an appointment
A registered political party may only revoke an agent's appointment if they also give a notice of appointment of another agent.
An unendorsed candidate, unendorsed group or third party may revoke an agent's appointment by giving the Electoral Commissioner notice in writing.
Resignation
An agent may resign from their appointment as an agent by giving the Electoral Commissioner notice in writing. The appointing person or body must, without delay, advise the Electoral Commissioner in writing of an agent’s resignation. In the case of a registered political party, they must also provide a notice of appointment of another agent.
Termination due to conviction of offence
An agent's appointment is terminated if, subject to the appeal process, the agent is convicted of a prescribed offence. If the person is the agent of a registered political party, the party must give notice to the Electoral Commissioner of the replacement agent within 28 days of the conviction, or within 28 days of the appeal being determined.
Death
If an agent dies then the appointing person or body must advise the Electoral Commissioner in writing without delay.
In the case of a registered political party, they must provide a notice of the death and appoint another agent within 28 days of the agent’s death.
For more information, see section 130I of the Electoral Act.
Forms to give notice of revocation of an agent appointment, or the resignation, conviction or death of an agent can be obtained from our funding and disclosure forms page.
Donations to candidates or groups
This information is for donors who have made a donation to a candidate or member of a group.
For more information, refer to Part 13A of the Electoral Act 1985.
Who was the recipient?
A gift or loan made to a member of a group is taken to be a gift or loan to the group if it was made for the benefit of all members of the group (section 130A(5)(a)).
A gift or loan made to:
- an endorsed candidate who is not a member of a group, or
- a group all of whose members are endorsed by the same registered political party,
is taken to be a gift or loan to the party (sections 130A(5)(b) and (c)).
What must be disclosed
A person who makes a gift or loan with an amount or value totalling more than $5,000 (indexed) to a candidate or member of a group during a disclosure period must lodge a donor return with the Electoral Commissioner.
This does not apply to gifts or loans made by:
- A registered political party.
- An associated entity.
- A candidate.
The information which must be provided in a donor return includes:
- The amount or value of the gift or loan.
- The date on which it was made.
- Any other details prescribed by the regulations.
Refer to section 130ZG for further information.
A donor must also report any gifts or loans of more than $5,000 (indexed) received by them and used wholly or partly to enable them to make the disclosable gift or loan or to reimburse them for making such a gift or loan (section 130ZG(3)).
Reporting timeframes
If the gift or loan was made outside the designated period, then it must be reported within 30 days of the start of the designated period. See our glossary page for the definition of a designated period.
If the gift or loan was made during the designated period, then it must be reported at the end of the designated period (section 130ZG(4)).
Donor return form
Please visit our funding and disclosure forms page to download the form.
Offences
Failing to lodge a return within the legislated timeframe is an offence for which the maximum penalty is $5,000.
Lodging a return which a person knows is false or misleading in a material particular is an offence for which the maximum penalty is $10,000.
For more information, refer to section 130ZZE of the Electoral Act.
Obligations of a third party
This information is for associated entities and third parties.
For more information, refer to Part 13A of the Electoral Act 1985.
Associated entity or third party?
See our glossary page for the definitions of an associated entity and a third party.
An associated entity may also be a third party.
Agents
Associated entity
An associated entity cannot appoint an agent. The financial controller of the associated entity is the person responsible for fulfilling the entity's obligations under Part 13A.
Third party
A third party may appoint an agent (section 130F).
If an associated entity is also a third party, it then has 2 sets of obligations. In that case, it may appoint an agent to ensure its obligations as a third party are fulfilled. For more information, visit our appointing an agent page.
State campaign accounts
Associated entity
An associated entity is not required to maintain a state campaign account.
Third party
A third party is only required to maintain a state campaign account if they receive a gift which must be paid into a state campaign account (section 130K). All gifts must be paid into the state campaign account unless:
- the third party does not intend to use the gift for political expenditure, or
- the gift was made or received in contravention of Part 13A.
These gifts must not be paid into the state campaign account.
In addition, if a third party has a state campaign account, they must ensure that all political expenditure is paid from that account (section 130N).
Associated entity and third party obligations
An associated entity and third party must do the following:
- Record gifts of $200 or more and loans of $1,000 or more (sections 130ZJ and 130ZK).
- Lodge half-yearly returns within 30 days of the end of each half-yearly period (sections 130ZO and 130ZP).
- In the year of a general election, lodge additional returns (sections 130ZO and 130ZP).
- Lodge an annual political expenditure return (section 130ZR) if the entity's political expenditure during a financial year is more than:
- $5,000 (indexed) - for associated entities
- $10,000 (indexed) - for third parties
- Provide audit certificates for all returns lodged (section 130ZV).
Additional obligations of a third party
A third party must also do the following:
- Lodge a donor return if they have made a gift or loan with an amount or value totalling more than $5,000 (indexed) to a candidate or member of a group during a disclosure period. For more information see donations to candidates or groups.
- Lodge a capped expenditure period return within 60 days of polling day if the third party’s total amount of political expenditure during the capped expenditure period exceeded $5,000 (indexed) (section 130ZQ).
Records and evidence
For more information, refer to Part 13A of the Electoral Act 1985.
Record keeping
If you have a document that contains information relating to a matter that has been or should be set out in a return lodged with the Electoral Commissioner, you are required to retain those records for at least 4 years. The 4 year period starts on the day of the election to which the return relates.
Refer to section 130ZZA of the Electoral Act for further information.
Recording gifts and loans
A relevant entity, candidate or group is not permitted to receive a gift with an amount or value of $200 or more without recording the name and address of the donor (section 130ZJ).
See our glossary page for the definition of a gift.
A relevant entity, candidate or group is not permitted to receive a loan of $1,000 or more, other than from a financial institution, without recording the terms of the loan and information regarding the name and address of the lender. Section 130ZK(3) outlines the information that must be recorded about the lender.
‘Financial institution’ is defined in section 130ZK(8) as a body which carries on a business that consists of, or includes, the provision of financial services or financial products and which is either an authorised deposit-taking institution (ADI) or a body prescribed by the regulations.
A ‘loan’ is defined in section 130ZK(8) as meaning any of the following:
- An advance of money.
- A provision of credit or any other form of financial accommodation.
- A payment of an amount for, on account of, on behalf of or at the request of, a person, if there is an express or implied obligation to repay the amount.
- A transaction (whatever its terms or forms) which in substance effects a loan of money.
If credit is provided on a credit card (defined at section 130ZK(8)) in respect of card transactions, the credit is to be treated as a separate loan for each transaction.
In the case of a gift or loan received from certain types of entities, you must also record the names of all trustees, members of the board or executive committee (as the case may be). For more information, refer to sections 130ZJ and 130ZK.
Gifts and loans of $5,000 (indexed) or less are not required to be disclosed in a return; however, you must still maintain the required records.
Providing evidence
The Electoral Commissioner has powers to require a person to produce documents or appear at a specified time and place to provide evidence. The Electoral Commissioner will issue the person with a formal notice if the person is required to produce documents or give evidence. There is a $5,000 maximum penalty for failing to comply with a notice or providing false or misleading evidence.
Refer to section 130ZZB of the Electoral Act for further information.
Reporting political expenditure (candidates, groups and parties)
For more information, refer to Part 13A of the Electoral Act 1985.
What is political expenditure?
Political expenditure is defined in section 130A and regulation 18A of the Electoral Regulations 2009. Political expenditure includes the public expression of views on a political party, a member of parliament, a candidate, or an issue in an election.
For more information, refer to our political expenditure guide on our funding and disclosure guides page.
What must be reported
Political expenditure during capped expenditure period
If a candidate, group, or registered political party incurs more than $5,000 (indexed) of political expenditure during the capped expenditure period, they must lodge a capped expenditure period return. The return must be lodged within 60 days after polling day (section 130ZQ).
If a candidate, group, or party has lodged a certificate under section 130Y to participate in the public funding scheme, they are subject to limits on their political expenditure during the capped expenditure period. The capped expenditure period return will be used by the Electoral Commissioner to determine whether the participant has adhered to their applicable expenditure cap and to determine the amount of public funding payable.
Annual political expenditure
If a person incurs, by their own authority, more than $5,000 (indexed) of political expenditure during a financial year, they must lodge an annual political expenditure return.
This return must be lodged within 12 weeks after the end of the financial year. Members of Parliament and the Crown are exempt from lodging this return (section 130ZR).
Audit certificates
You are required to provide an audit certificate for every return lodged with the Electoral Commissioner (section 130ZV).
You may apply for a waiver of the requirement to provide an audit certificate if the costs of compliance would be unreasonable.
Offences
Failing to lodge a return within the legislated timeframe is an offence. The maximum penalty for a registered political party agent is $10,000. For any other person, the maximum penalty is $5,000.
Lodging a return which a person knows is false or misleading in a material particular is an offence for which the maximum penalty is $10,000.
For more information, refer to section 130ZZE of the Electoral Act.
Third-party returns
For more information, refer to Part 13A of the Electoral Act 1985.
Lodging returns
The agent is responsible for lodging returns on behalf of a registered political party or third party. More information can be found on our agents page.
Note: if a third party who is also an associated entity has lodged an associated entity return for a period, they are not required to lodge a third-party return for that same period (section 130ZP(4)).
Half-yearly
Registered political parties and third parties must lodge half-yearly returns within 30 days of the end of each half-yearly period.
During an election
During a general election, there are additional return lodgement obligations. In the year of a general election, registered political parties and third parties must lodge a return for the month of January by 5 February. Following this are the high-frequency lodgements: returns must be lodged for every 7 day period until 30 days after polling day. These returns must be lodged within 5 days of the end of each 7 day period.
Information required
Returns must set out the following information:
- Total amount received by the entity during the period (total receipts).
- Details of amounts received of more than $5,000 (indexed).
- Total outstanding debt as at the end of the period.
- Details of each debt of more than $5,000 (indexed).
Refer to sections 130ZN (political party returns) and 130ZP (third party returns) for more information.
Receipts
Amounts received include all monies received from all sources including:
- Gifts of money or goods.
- Gifts in kind of goods or services.
- Membership subscriptions.
- Loans obtained.
- Earnings from assets or investments.
- Proceeds from the sale of assets.
- Payments from Commonwealth or State authorities (including Special Assistance Funding payments).
Transfers between a registered political party and its state or federal counterparts must be included as they are separate entities for reporting purposes.
Two or more amounts of more than $200 received from the same person during the financial year will be treated as one amount (sections 130ZN(4), and 130ZP(3)).
Debts
Outstanding debts can include:
- Loans
- Overdrafts
- Unpaid accounts
- Unremitted taxes.
Prescribed particulars
Regulation 23 of the Electoral Regulations 2009 prescribes additional details which are required to be provided in a return for amounts received from or owed to a trust, company or an association. The names of all trustees, members of the board or executive committee must be provided. In the case of a company donor, there is an additional obligation to provide the names of any related bodies corporate. For more information, please refer to our prescribed particulars guide (PDF, 132KB).
Audit certificates
An audit certificate must be provided for every return lodged with the Electoral Commissioner (section 130ZV).
For returns relating to the designated period of an election, there are only 2 bulk audit certificates required:
- The first audit certificate must be lodged 7 days before polling day to cover all returns lodged up to that date.
- The second audit certificate will cover all the remaining returns. The second audit certificate must be lodged on the day the last high-frequency return is due.
You may apply for a waiver of the requirement to provide an audit certificate if:
- The return is a nil return.
- The costs of compliance with the audit certificate requirement would be unreasonable.
Offences
Failing to lodge a return within the legislated timeframe is an offence. The maximum penalty for a registered political party agent is $10,000. For any other person, the maximum penalty is $5,000.
Lodging a return which a person knows is false or misleading in a material particular is an offence for which the maximum penalty is $10,000.
For more information, refer to section 130ZZE of the Electoral Act.
Record keeping
In addition to return lodgement obligations, there are also record-keeping obligations. See the records and evidence section above for more information.
Special assistance funding
Special assistance funding is a form of public funding under Division 5 of the Electoral Act 1985.
It is available to be paid as a half yearly entitlement to eligible registered political parties who claim reimbursement of administrative expenditure.
Registered political parties must meet the following eligibility criteria to receive special assistance funding:
- At least 1 member of the party must have been a member of the Parliament of South Australia for all or part of the half-yearly period; and
- The party must have been a registered political party on polling day for the last preceding general election and continued to be registered for all of the half-yearly period; and
- The agent of the party submitted a valid claim to the Electoral Commissioner setting out the administrative expenditure incurred by the party during that half-yearly period.
Special assistance funding claims under Division 5 are limited to the following maximum amounts:
- For a party with 5 or fewer members of Parliament - $35,000 (indexed)
- For a party with 6 or more members of Parliament - $60,000 (indexed)
Since Part 13A came into effect, the Electoral Commissioner has paid the amounts shown in the table below for special assistance funding claims.
Australian Labor Party | Liberal Party | The Greens | SA Best | Advance SA* | Dignity Party** | Family First^ | Australian Conservatives^^ | Pauline Hanson's One Nation | |
Date | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ |
1/07/23 - 31/12/23 | 75,586.00 | 75,586.00 | 44,092.00 | 36,780.61 | - | - | - | - | 15,387.59 |
1/01/23 - 30/06/23 | 70,048.00 | 70,048.00 | 40,862.00 | 36,601.34 | - | - | - | - | 20,045.00 |
1/07/22 - 31/12/22 | 70,048.00 | 70,048.00 | 40,862.00 | 35,993.43 | - | - | - | - | 11,122.39 |
1/01/22 - 30/06/22 | 66,908.00 | 66,908.00 | 39,030.00 | 27,901.55 | - | - | - | - | - |
1/07/21 - 31/12/21 | 66,908.00 | 66,908.00 | 39,030.00 | 39,030.00 | - | - | - | - | - |
1/01/21 - 30/06/21 | 66,109.00 | 66,109.00 | 38,564.00 | 38,564.00 | - | - | - | - | - |
1/07/20 - 31/12/20 | 66,109.00 | 66,109.00 | 38,564.00 | 29,071.53 | - | - | - | - | - |
1/01/20 - 30/06/20 | 64,568.00 | 64,568.00 | 37,665.00 | 37,665.00 | - | - | - | - | - |
1/07/19 - 31/12/19 | 64,568.00 | 64,568.00 | 37,665.00 | 37,665.00 | 952.04 | - | -; | - | - |
1/01/19 - 30/06/19 | 63,711.00 | 63,711.00 | 37,165.00 | 37,165.00 | 219.24 | - | - | - | - |
1/07/18 - 31/12/18 | 63,711.00 | 63,711.00 | 37,165.00 | 37,165.00 | - | - | - | - | - |
1/01/18 - 30/06/18 | 62,283.00 | 62,283.00 | 36.333.00 | - | - | - | - | 36,333.00 | - |
1/07/17 - 31/12/17 | 62,283.00 | 62,283.00 | 36,333.00 | - | - | 36,333.00 | - | - | - |
1/01/17 - 30/06/17 | 60,000.00 | 60,000.00 | 35,000.00 | - | - | 29,672.00 | - | - | - |
1/07/16 - 31/12/16 | 12,217.00 | 12,217.00 | 7,127.00 | - | - | 7,127.00 | 6,218.39 | - | - |
1/01/16 - 30/06/16 | 12,217.00 | 12,217.00 | 7,127.00 | - | - | 7,127.00 | 4,403.19 | - | - |
1/07/15 - 31/12/15 | 12,137.00 | 12,137.00 | 7,080.00 | - | - | 7,080.00 | 825.00 | - | - |
Total | 959,411.00 | 959,411.00 | 559,664.00 | 393,404.46 | 1,171.28 | 87,339.00 | 11,446.58 | 36,333.00 | 46,554.98 |
Special assistance paid to date: $2,918,445.30 |
* | deregistered 25 August 2022 |
** | deregistered 28 November 2019 |
^ | deregistered 27 June 2017 (n.b. a new party called Family First Party Inc. was registered on 13 January 2022) |
^^ | deregistered 27 June 2019 |
One-off special assistance funding
Section 130UA was inserted into the Electoral Act 1985 on 9 June 2017 and expired on 31 August 2017. This section permitted eligible registered political parties to claim a one-off payment of special assistance funding for prescribed administrative expenditure for the purpose of complying with Part 13A of the Act.
Eligible registered political parties who wished to make a claim were required to submit a claim in writing to the Electoral Commissioner by 31 July 2017. This section limited the claim to the following maximum amounts:
- For parties with 5 or fewer members of Parliament - $56,000
- For parties with 6 or more members of Parliament - $96,000
The Electoral Commissioner paid the amounts shown in the table below for one-off special assistance payment in 2017. These payments were in addition to any entitlements to half yearly payments of special assistance funding paid under Division 5 of the Act.
Party | Claim |
Australian Labor Party | $96,000.00 |
Liberal Party | $96,000.00 |
The Greens | $10,013.79 |
Dignity Party | $43,861.44 |
Total | $245,875.23 |
Public funding
2022 Bragg By-election
Participants in the election funding scheme for the 2022 Bragg By-election are listed below.
These participants have made valid applications for election funding under section 130Y of the Electoral Act 1985 and have agreed to adhere to capped limits on their political expenditure. For more information about the public funding scheme, refer to the funding and disclosure guides.
Candidate |
Endorsed |
Alice Rolls |
Australian Labor Party (South Australian Branch) |
Jack Batty |
Liberal Party of Australia (SA Division) |
Jim Bastiras |
Australian Greens SA |
Daryl McCann |
Family First Party Inc |
Archive
2022 State Election
Participants in the election funding scheme for the 2022 State Election are listed below.
Registered political parties
Advance SA |
Animal Justice Party |
Aust Family Party |
Australian Labor Party |
Child Protection Party |
Family First |
Legalise Cannabis South Australia Party |
Liberal Party |
Liberal Democrats less government more freedom |
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation |
Real Change SA |
SA-BEST |
SA Party – Stop Overdevelopment & Corruption |
The Greens |
The Nationals |
Unendorsed candidates and groups
House of Assembly
Unendorsed candidates |
Electoral district |
Dan Golding |
Davenport |
Tessa Kowaliw |
Florey |
Cate Hunter |
Frome |
Jaison Midzi |
Gibson |
Rob de Jonge |
Hurtle Vale |
Dan Cregan |
Kavel |
Troy Bell |
Mt Gambier |
Fraser Ellis |
Narungga |
Dianah Walter |
Narungga |
Frances Bedford |
Newland |
Lea Rebane |
Schubert |
Geoff Brock |
Stuart |
Sam Duluk |
Waite |
Legislative Council
Unendorsed candidate |
Graham Philp |
Unendorsed groups |
Independent Annabel Digance |
Independent Belinda Valentine Team |
Independent Defend Local Business |
2019 Cheltenham and Enfield By-elections
Participants of the public funding scheme for the 2019 Cheltenham and Enfield by-elections are listed below.
District | Candidate | Endorsed |
---|---|---|
Cheltenham | Joe Szakacs | Australian Labor Party (South Australian Branch) |
Cheltenham | Stefanie Medrow | Australian Greens SA |
Enfield | Andrea Michaels | Australian Labor Party (South Australian Branch) |
Enfield | Sebastian Konyn | Australian Greens SA |
Enfield | Gary Johanson | Independent |
Enfield | Saru Rana | Independent |
Enfield | Sayed Mansoor Hashimi | Independent |
2018 State Election
Participants of the public funding scheme for the 2018 State Election are listed below.
Registered political parties
Animal Justice Party |
Australian Labor Party |
Conservatives |
Dignity Party |
Liberal Democrats |
Liberal Party |
Nick Xenophon's SA-BEST |
The Greens |
Unendorsed candidates and groups
House of Assembly
Unendorsed candidates | Electoral district |
Geoff Brock | Frome |
Dan Golding | Davenport |
Peter Smythe | Morialta |
Legislative Council
Unendorsed candidate |
Luke Koumi |
Gail Kilby |
Unendorsed group |
Independent Amrik Singh Thandi |
Glossary
The descriptions of terms in this glossary are for quick reference only. This glossary is not to be substituted for the formal definitions found within the legislation. Refer to Part 13A of the Electoral Act 1985.
Administrative expenditure
Any expenditure related to the administration and operation of a registered political party.
Agent
An agent is a person who is responsible for ensuring a registered political party, candidate, group of candidates, or a third party meets its funding and disclosure obligations.
An agent must be a natural person who has attained 18 years of age. A person is not eligible to be an agent if they have been convicted of a prescribed offence (section 130G(3)). The prescribed offences are:
- An offence under Part 13A of the Electoral Act 1985
- An offence under Part 20 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.
An agent must be formally appointed. For more information about how agents are appointed, see appointing an agent.
Associated entity
An associated entity is defined under section 130A as an entity that has any of the following types of relationships with a registered political party:
- It is controlled by one or more registered political parties.
- It operates to a significant extent for the benefit of one or more registered political parties.
- It is a financial member of, or on whose behalf another person is a financial member of, a registered political party.
- It has voting rights in, or on whose behalf another person has voting rights in, a registered political party.
Capped expenditure period
For general elections, the capped expenditure period starts on 1 July the year before an election and ends 30 days after polling day.
For all other elections, the capped expenditure period starts on the day the vacancy is announced by, or on behalf of, the Speaker in the House of Assembly and ends 30 days after polling day.
Designated period
For a general election, the designated period starts on 1 January in an election year and ends 30 days after polling day.
For all other elections, the designated period starts on the day the vacancy is announced by, or on behalf of, the Speaker in the House of Assembly, and ends 30 days after polling day for that election.
Disclosure period
The commencement of the disclosure period varies for different types of candidates:
- For a new candidate: the disclosure period will either start on the day they announce their intention to stand as a candidate for the election or on the day they nominate (whichever is earlier).
- For a candidate who is not a new candidate: their disclosure period commenced 30 days after polling day for the last preceding election in which they were a candidate.
- For a new candidate who is a member of parliament, chosen by both Houses of Parliament to fill a casual vacancy, their disclosure period commenced on the day they were chosen to be a member of parliament.
- For a group of candidates, their disclosure period commences on the day they lodge their section 58 application to be grouped on the ballot paper.
The disclosure period for all candidates (and groups) will end 30 days after polling day for the election.
Financial controller
The financial controller of an entity is:
- The secretary of the company (if the entity is a company).
- The trustee (if the entity is a trust).
- The person responsible for maintaining the financial records of the entity (if none of the above applies).
Financial member
A person who pays an annual subscription to a party, or is treated by a party as a financial member.
Gift
Any disposition of property, including the provision of a service, made by a person to another person for inadequate or no consideration. A gift does not include:
- A membership subscription paid by a person to a political party.
- A compulsory levy paid to a political party.
- A public election funding or special assistance funding payment under Division 4 or 5 of Part 13A.
For more information on the definition of a gift, see section 130A of the Electoral Act 1985.
Group
Two or more candidates in a Legislative Council election who have applied to have their names grouped together on the ballot paper under section 58.
New candidate
- you were not a candidate in an earlier election for a House of Assembly election any time in the past 5 years before polling day, or
- you were not a candidate in an earlier election for a Legislative Council election any time in the past 9 years before polling day.
Refer to section 130ZF(5)(b) of the Electoral Act 1985.
Political expenditure
Political expenditure is defined in section 130A of the Electoral Act and regulation 18A of the Electoral Regulations 2009. Political expenditure includes the public expression of views on a political party, a member of parliament, a candidate, or an issue in an election.
For more information, refer to our political expenditure guide on our guides page.
Prescribed administrative expenditure
Administrative expenditure incurred by a registered political party for the purpose of complying with Part 13A that is in excess of administrative expenditure incurred by the party in relation to which a payment of a half-yearly entitlement to special assistance funding has been paid.
Relevant entity
A relevant entity is any of the following:
- A registered political party
- An associated entity
- A third party.
For more information, refer to section 130A.
State campaign account
A separate account that is maintained for state electoral purposes under Part 13A of the Electoral Act. For more information refer to sections 130K, 130L, 130M and 130N.
Third party
A person who:
- intends to, or does in fact, incur more than $10,000 in political expenditure during the designated period in relation to an election, or
- incurred more than $10,000 in political expenditure during the designated period of the last preceding general election (excluding the 2018 state election).
The following are excluded from the definition of a third party:
- Members of parliament.
- The Crown.
- Registered political parties.
- Candidates or groups in an election.
- Those in broadcasting services.
- Publishers of journals.
For more information, see section 130A of the Electoral Act 1985.