Media Release 2010: 2008-09 annual financial disclosure returns

29 January 2010

The 2008-09 annual financial disclosure returns from political parties, associated entities, donors and third parties who engage in political expenditure will be released for public inspection on Monday 1 February 2010. The annual returns will be available on the Australian Electoral Commission's website at www.aec.gov.au.

While a top level summary of disclosed total figures is provided below, the actual returns and financial data in them will not be available for inspection on the AEC website until 9am AESDT on Monday 1 February 2010.

As at 21 January 2010 the AEC had received 73 political party returns with total receipts of $93 699 223 disclosed by political parties for 2008-09, compared to 73 political party returns with total receipts of $216 523 873 currently reported for the 2007-08 financial year.

The same 73 political party returns show $93 880 386 as a total expenditure for the 2008-09 financial year, compared to $213 492 720 currently reported for the 2007-08 returns.

192 associated entities reported total receipts of $716 800 790 for 2008-09, compared to 245 returns disclosing $702 561 166 for 2007-08.

37 returns of political expenditure by third parties show a total of $6 493 558 was spent on political commentary, advertising, polling or other research for 2008-09 compared to 75 returns for 2007-08 showing total expenditure of $51 333 987.

229 donors completed returns for 2008-09 disclosing total donations of $10 294 507 compared to 409 returns for 2007-08 disclosing $26 425 088 donated to political parties.

Apart from associated entities, the amounts disclosed are significantly less than for 2007-08 because that year covered a federal election and the Gippsland by-election. The only electoral events in 2008-09 were the by-elections in Lyne and Mayo.

Attached is a fact sheet providing basic disclosure requirements.

Media contacts

Phil Diak | Director Media
AEC, Canberra
02 6271 4415
0413 452 539

Editor's note: The annual returns locator service on the AEC website provides for some analysis of the information in the returns as well as images of the original returns. The website includes a data export function to enable users to undertake additional analysis of data. Background nformation on funding and disclosure is available in handbooks at http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/index.htm

DISCLOSURE FACT SHEET

The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 requires registered political parties, associated entities, donors to registered political parties and third parties who engage in political expenditure to furnish financial disclosure returns to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) covering each financial year.

These returns are made public in February the following year.

Political parties must submit returns containing the following information:

• the total sum received during the financial year;
• the total expenditure for the financial year;
• the total debt outstanding at the end of the financial year;
• the sum and details (date and source) of all receipts over the threshold; and
• the sum and details of any debts as at the end of the financial year that exceed the threshold.

Associated entities must submit returns containing the following information:

• the total sum received during the financial year;
• the total expenditure for the financial year;
• the total debt outstanding at the end of the financial year;
• the sum and details (date and source) of all receipts that exceed the threshold;
• the sum and details of any debts as at the end of the financial year that exceed the threshold; and
• the sum and details of the sources of any donations to political parties that exceed the threshold each financial year and are made from capital contributions.

Where the sum of a donor's contribution to a political party is more than the threshold, the donor must submit a return that details:

• the sum and details (date and recipient of the donation) of each 'gift'; and
• the sum and details of any 'gifts' received by the donor that have been passed on to a political party or associated entity, or to another donor for the purposes of being passed on to a political party or associated entity.

Note that receipts include 'gifts' (donations) and other receipts such as returns on investments or sales of assets. Parties and associated entities are asked to distinguish between 'gifts' and other receipts in their returns.

Note also that donors are not required to make a return where they have received some consideration for their 'gift'. Most usually, this involves the provision of a meal or a networking opportunity at a fund raiser.

Where a person has made political expenditure on the following activities the sum of which is in excess of the threshold, they must complete a return detailing expenditure in each of the activities, if any:

• public expression of views on a political party, candidate in an election, member of the Federal Parliament or an issue in a Federal election by any means;
• printing, production, publication, distribution or broadcast of any material that is required by section 328 or 328A of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 or subclause 4(2) of schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to include an authorisation; and
• carrying out opinion polling or other research relating to a Federal election or the voting intentions of electors.

Where a person is required to lodge a political expenditure return, and that person received a gift or gifts in excess of the threshold that went towards this expenditure, the person must disclose the sum of the gift, the source of the gift and the date on which the gift was made.

Note: The threshold for the 2008-09 financial year returns was 'more than $10 900'. The threshold is indexed and is adjusted on 1 July of each financial year.

For more information visit http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/index.htm