Fact sheet: Electoral expenditure

Funding and disclosure reform, Funding and disclosure Reform user groups Disclosure changes, Donation caps, Disclosure threshold, Electoral Reform Act 2025, Expedited disclosure, Annual returns, Election returns, FAD reform

What is electoral expenditure?

Electoral expenditure is incurred for the dominant purpose of creating or communicating electoral matter. Electoral matter refers to information communicated or intended to be communicated for the dominant purpose of influencing how electors vote in an election.

Electoral expenditure includes any expenses incurred in relation to an election by:

• registered political parties
• State branches of political parties
• members of the House of Representatives
• Senators
• candidates
• significant third parties
• associated entities
• nominated entities
• third parties.

What are some examples?

• electoral matter in the form of advertisements on radio, television, the internet, cinemas, newspapers, billboards, posters, brochures, how-to-vote cards or any other form
• production and distribution of electoral matter
• internet, telecommunications, stationery or postage for the purposes of communicating electoral matter
• employing staff engaged in an election campaign
• office accommodation for staff and candidates
• travel and accommodation for staff and candidates engaged in an election campaign
• research associated with an election campaign (other than in-house research)
• fundraising activities and events for an election.

It is not electoral expenditure if it is

• claimable under the parliamentary expenses framework
• incurred by a service provider to create or communicate electoral matter, including
  • printers producing electoral matter as paid work for clients
  • internet service providers whose networks are used to communicate electoral matter
  • social media companies whose platforms are used to communicate electoral matter
  • polling companies undertaking research on public opinion for paying clients
  • self-employed professionals managing candidate campaigns on a fee-for-service basis
  • marketing agencies developing advertising campaigns containing electoral matter for paying clients.

What are the requirements for electoral expenditure?

The person responsible for each entity must ensure their electoral expenditure:

• is paid from a federal account, please see: Fact sheet — Federal accounts
• does not exceed specified caps
• is disclosed in an annual return, please see: Fact sheet — Annual returns.

Contact us

fadreform@aec.gov.au

Disclaimer: The information on this page is intended to provide general guidance only. It does not constitute legal, financial, or other professional advice. Persons and entities should seek their own professional advice to find out how the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 applies to their particular circumstances. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has made every reasonable effort to provide current and accurate information, but it does not make any guarantees regarding the accuracy, currency, or completeness of that information. Parties who wish to re-publish or otherwise use the information on this page must check this information for currency and accuracy prior to publication.