Commonwealth of Australia Explanatory Memoranda

[Index] [Search] [Download] [Bill] [Help]

COMMONWEALTH ELECTORAL AMENDMENT (LOWERING THE DONATION DISCLOSURE THRESHOLD) BILL 2019

                                2019




    THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA




                  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES




Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Lowering the Donation Disclosure
                        Threshold) Bill 2019




                  EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
                                and
       STATEMENT OF COMPATIBILITY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS




                      Circulated by authority of
                Member for Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie MP
Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Lowering the Donation Disclosure
Threshold) Bill 2019


OUTLINE

The Bill amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 ("the Act") to lower the political
donation disclosure threshold from $13,800 to $1,000, and to remove ongoing indexation
of that disclosure threshold.

Currently, political parties are only required to provide the Australian Electoral Commission
('AEC') with an annual return which provides details of the donations received over the
disclosure threshold of $13,800.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

The bill will have no financial impact.



NOTES ON CLAUSES

Clause 1: Short Title

This clause provides for the Bill, once enacted, to be cited as the Commonwealth
Amendment (Lowering the Donation Disclosure Threshold) Act 2019.

Clause 2: Commencement

This clause provides for the Bill to commence on the next 1 July after Royal Assent.

Clause 3: Schedules

Schedule 1 - Amendments

Item 1

Item 1 repeals and substitutes the current definition of the disclosure threshold contained
within subsection 287(1), changing it from $13,800 to $1,000.

Item 2

Item 2 repeals the indexation of the disclosure threshold as contained within section 321A.
               STATEMENT OF COMPATIBILITY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS

   Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011

      Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Lowering the Donation Disclosure
                              Threshold) Bill 2019

  This bill is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the
 international instruments listed in section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny)
                                           Act 2011.

Overview of the bill

The Bill amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 ("the Act") to lower the political
donation disclosure threshold from $13,800 to $1,000, and to remove ongoing indexation
of that disclosure threshold.

Currently, political parties are only required to provide the Australian Electoral Commission
('AEC') with an annual return which provides details of the donations received over the
disclosure threshold of $13,800.


Human rights implications

This Bill may engage the implied right to freedom of political communication by seeking to
strengthen the framework surrounding the disclosure of political donations.

The bill seeks to improve public confidence in our political system by providing the public
with greater transparency regarding how our politicians and the parties they belong to may
(or may not) be influenced by donations.

Conclusion

This Bill is compatible with human rights and freedoms.




Rebekha Sharkie MP

[Index] [Search] [Download] [Bill] [Help]