Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Lowering the Donation Disclosure Threshold) 2023

# Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Lowering the Donation Disclosure Threshold) Bill 2023 ## What it does Currently, political parties and candidates only have to publicly report donations above $14,500. This bill cuts that threshold to $1,000, meaning smaller donations will have to be disclosed publicly. The bill also clarifies what counts as a "gift" — including things like fundraising event tickets, free professional services, and donations in kind. ## Why it matters Lowering the threshold makes political donations more transparent, so voters can see who's funding their politicians — not just the big-money donors. This could help expose potential influence from smaller donors that currently fly under the radar. ## Key details - **The new threshold is $1,000** — any donation above this amount must be publicly reported (down from $14,500) - **It kicks in on 1 July** following the date the bill receives Royal Assent - **"Gifts" now have a specific definition** that includes fundraising event tickets, free or discounted professional services, and in-kind donations — closing loopholes where donations could be disguised as something else