Transparency Register

Overview

The Transparency Register contains information about political parties, significant third parties (previously political campaigners), associated entities, members of the House of Representatives (MPs), senators, third parties, candidates, Senate groups, and donors registered with or recognised by the AEC.

The AEC is required to publish on the Transparency Register specific details relevant to each entity. In summary, the Transparency Register includes the current register of entities, annual returns, election returns, enforceable undertakings and election funding claims as shown in this chart.

  Register of entities Annual returns
(requirement)
Election returns
(requirement)
Enforceable undertakings
(if applicable)
Election funding claims
(if applicable)
Political parties Yes Yes   Yes Yes
Significant third parties Yes Yes   Yes  
Associated entities Yes Yes   Yes  
Members of the House of Representatives   Yes   Yes  
Senators   Yes   Yes  
Third parties Yes Yes   Yes  
Annual donors   Yes   Yes  
Candidates     Yes Yes Yes
Senate groups     Yes Yes Yes
Election donors     Yes Yes  

Register of entities

The register of entities represents the current list of entities and publishes specific legislated details and links to the entity on the Transparency Register for the following entities:

Entity type Entity name Link to entity page Link to most recent annual return Link to Register of Political Parties Name of financial controller Name of party and/or disclosure entity associated with
Political parties Yes Yes   Yes    
Significant third parties Yes Yes     Yes  
Associated entities Yes Yes     Yes Yes
Third parties Yes   Yes      

The current register of entities is available on the Transparency Register.

Annual returns

The AEC is required to publish annual returns by political parties, significant third parties, associated entities, members of the House of Representatives, senators, third parties, and donors before the end of the first business day in February each year after the return is provided.

Annual returns for the following financial years are available on the Transparency Register:

 

Financial year

Political parties

from 1998-99

Political campaigners

from 2018-19 to 2020-21

Significant third parties

from 2020-21

Associated entities

from 1998-99

Members of the House of Representatives

from 2020-21

Senators

from 2020-21

Third parties

from 2006-07

Donors

from 1998-99

Election returns

The AEC is required to publish federal election returns by candidates, Senate groups and donors before the end of 24 weeks after polling day.

All candidate and Senate group returns from the 1996 federal election onwards and donor returns from the 2007 federal election onwards are available on the Transparency Register.

By-election returns prior to 2014 can be accessed on the By-election & supplementary election disclosure returns page.

Enforceable undertakings

An enforceable undertaking is a legally binding agreement that may be entered into to resolve non-compliance or improve compliance with Part XX of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. Enforceable undertakings are designed to secure effective remedies to address non-compliance without the need for court proceedings or as an alternative to civil penalties.

Name of party

Date of acceptance

Legislative provisions

Enforceable undertaking

Ms Briony Davis as financial controller for EMILY’s List 21 October 2022 Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 – Sections 314AEA(1), 316(5) and 317 Briony Davis – Enforceable undertaking [PDF - 262KB]

Senator Pauline Hanson as party agent for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation

15 June 2021

Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 – Section 317(1)

Pauline Lee Hanson – Enforceable undertaking [PDF - 802KB]

Ms Kim Swanson 3 March 2021 Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 – Sections 304 and 309 Kim Swanson – Enforceable undertaking [PDF - 369KB]
Mr Christopher James 26 February 2021 Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 – Sections 304 and 309 Christopher James – Enforceable undertaking [PDF - 389KB]

Mr Tony Pecora

10 February 2021

Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 – Sections 304 and 309

Tony Pecora – Enforceable undertaking [PDF - 378KB]

Election funding claims

The AEC is required to publish election funding determinations on the Transparency Register as soon as reasonably practicable after making the determination. The register below provides links to election funding determinations:

Updated: 8 September 2023