Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Cleaning up Political Donations) 2023

# Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Cleaning up Political Donations) 2023 ## What it does This bill tightens rules around political donations to Australia's major parties and candidates. It lowers the threshold for when donations must be publicly declared, requires donations to be reported in real-time rather than waiting months, caps how much individuals and organisations can donate, and prevents certain types of donors (like foreign entities) from giving money to political campaigns. ## Why it matters Right now, donations under $13,800 don't have to be disclosed publicly, meaning voters can't see who's funding their politicians. This bill makes that $1,000 instead, so you'll get much better visibility into who's actually bankrolling campaigns. It also stops donations being hidden until months after an election, making it harder for wealthy donors to quietly influence politics behind the scenes. ## Key details - **Lower disclosure threshold**: Donations above $1,000 must now be publicly declared (down from $13,800) - **Real-time reporting**: Political parties and candidates must report donations as they receive them, rather than waiting until after elections - **Commencement**: Takes effect on 1 July in the first year after the bill becomes law - **Scope**: These rules apply to all political parties, candidates, and registered campaign groups