Financial Disclosure Guide for Third Parties incurring Political Expenditure

Updated: 6 July 2016

Information to be disclosed in the third party return of political expenditure

Part 1: Political expenditure for financial year 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016


Section 314AEB(1) of the Act requires that political expenditure incurred during the 2015–2016 financial year for one or more of the five specified purposes and totalling more than the disclosure threshold must be disclosed.

Amounts less than the disclosure threshold are to be disclosed for each individual purpose if the total amount for all five purposes exceeds the disclosure threshold.

Expenditure for purposes other than the five categories listed is not political expenditure and is not required to be disclosed.

Part 2: Gifts received for political expenditure for financial year 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016


Section 314AEC(2) of the Act requires that where a person receives a gift or gifts from the same person/entity totalling more than $13 000, and the person then uses the gift/s (either wholly or partly) to incur political expenditure or reimburse such expenditure, each such gift must be disclosed.

This part of the return applies to a third party:

  • who is required to complete the 'Political expenditure for financial year 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016' part of the return,
  • who (whether within the 2015–2016 financial year or not), received a gift/donation of more than $13 000; and
  • used that gift/donation, or part of it, to incur political expenditure reported in Part 1; or reimburse such expenditure.

These gifts/donations may have been received at any time, and not necessarily in the 2015–16 financial year.

Where a gift/donation of more than $13 000 was received and used, in whole or in part, to incur political expenditure or reimburse such expenditure the following details must be disclosed in the return:

  • Full name and address details of the person or organisation from whom the gift/donation was received.
  • The date each gift/donation was received.
  • The value or amount of each gift/donation received.

In the case of gifts/donations received from or on behalf of members of an unincorporated association (other than a registered industrial organisation), the name of the association and the name and address of each member of the executive committee of the association must be disclosed.

In the case of gifts/donations received from a trust or foundation, the title or description of the trust or foundation, along with the names and addresses of the trustees must be disclosed.

In any other case, the name and address of the person or organisation that made the gift/donation must be disclosed.

If no gifts/donations for political expenditure were received, Part 2 of the return should be marked 'nil'.

Period covered

Unlike the disclosure of political expenditure which is limited to the 2015-16 financial year, gifts/donations used to fund that expenditure must be disclosed even where they were received prior to 1 July 2015.

The following example may assist in clarifying the disclosure requirements when political expenditure is made in the 2015–2016 financial year using gifts/donations that have been received in prior years:

Example

  • A third party received a gift of $15 000 in the 2014–15 financial year.
  • In the 2015–2016 financial year the third party incurred political expenditure of $13 500.

As the third party has incurred political expenditure that is more than the disclosure threshold, the third party is required to disclose the expenditure in 'Part 1–Political expenditure for financial year 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016' of the return.

  • To make the political expenditure of $13 500 in the 2015–2016 financial year, the third party used part of the $15 000 gift received in the 2014–15 financial year.

As the third party has used a gift—received in a previous financial year and which was more than $13 000—to make political expenditure in the 2015–2016 financial year, the third party is required to disclose the gift in 'Part 2–Gifts received for political expenditure for financial year 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016' of the return.

If in a subsequent financial year to the 2015–2016 financial year, the third party used the remaining part ($1 500) of the $15 000 gift received in the 2014–15 financial year together with another gift to make political expenditure, and the political expenditure is greater than the disclosure threshold for that financial year, the third party will be required to disclose the $15 000 as a gift received in the subsequent financial year’s return. In this situation, the third party should include an explanatory note on the subsequent financial year’s return that the gift has been disclosed previously.