16 December 2008

Disclosure returns lodged with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) following the Gippsland by-election on Saturday 28 June 2008 were released on 15 December.

The returns cover receipts and expenditure by candidates who contested the 2008 Gippsland by-election.  All five candidates who stood at the Gippsland by-election were endorsed by political parties and all lodged ‘nil’ by-election returns.  No donor returns were received.

The disclosure requirements for by-elections are as outlined below:

Candidates

Disclosure requirements The total of all donations received and used to fund their campaign, along with details of donations received where they total more than $10,500 from a single source. Totals of electoral expenditure under specified categories are also required. Officially endorsed candidates may submit a ‘nil return’ and roll their reporting into their annual party return due for release in February 2009 if their financial transactions were the responsibility of a party committee. Donations received and expenditure incurred by the candidates campaign committees will be disclosed in their party annual returns, due for public release on 2 February 2009.

Donors

Disclosure requirements Donations totalling more than $10,500 made to an individual candidate, and donations received totalling more than $10,500 from a single source that were used in turn to fund donations to an individual candidate must be reported.

The returns are available on request from the AEC National Office in Canberra and State Office in Melbourne.

Further information:
The contact details of AEC offices and further information on election disclosure requirements are available on the AEC website.

Media Contacts:

Phil Diak
Director, Media
Australian Electoral Commission
Ph: 02 6271 4415 (bus hours)
Mobile: 0413 452 539 (after hours)

Bernadette O’Meara
Assistant Director Media
Ph: 02 6271 4724
Mobile: 0413 452 530