Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

(1) Schedule 1, page 62 (after line 14), after item 45A, insert:

45AA After section 304

Insert:

304A Monthly disclosure of gifts and loans

Gifts

(1) If, in a calendar month, a political entity or a political campaigner receives one or more gifts, the recipient must notify the Electoral Commission, in the approved form, of the total value of those gifts within 10 days after the end of the calendar month.

(2) If, in a calendar month, a political entity or a political campaigner receives a gift whose value exceeds the disclosure threshold, the recipient must notify the Electoral Commission, in the approved form, of the following within 10 days after the end of the calendar month:

(a) the value of the gift;

(b) the name and address of the person who made the gift.

Loans

(3) If, in a calendar month, a political entity or a political campaigner receives one or more loans, the recipient must notify the Electoral Commission, in the approved form, of the total amount of those loans within 10 days after the end of the calendar month.

(4) If, in a calendar month, a political entity or a political campaigner receives a loan the amount of which exceeds the disclosure threshold, the recipient must notify the Electoral Commission, in the approved form, of the following within 10 days after the end of the calendar month:

(a) the amount of the loan;

(b) the name and address of the person who made the loan.

The amendment is quite simple. It is an amendment that was moved in the Senate on 15 November, and it is my hope that this House considers the amendment differently than the Senate did. It will require the disclosure of gifts and loans that exceed the disclosure threshold, including if the cumulative total exceeds a threshold each calendar month. The disclosure can be made within 10 days after the end of the calendar month. The value of the gift loan and the identity of the person who provides the gift loan must be disclosed to the Electoral Commission. These disclosure requirements are not audited; they are in addition to the annual disclosure requirements that are audited and can be found in section 305B. The disclosure threshold of $13,800 indexed until June 2019 is not altered in any way by the proposed amendments. As I said in my speech, if we want meaningful change in this place, and if we want the Australian community to have faith in us, I believe changes to political donations need to happen.

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