Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Banning Dirty Donations) 2022

# Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Banning Dirty Donations) 2022 ## What it does This bill tightens the rules on what counts as a political donation by expanding the legal definition of "gift" to capture more types of financial support given to political parties and related organisations. It specifically includes things like underpriced services, fundraising event payments, and membership subscriptions over $1,000 per year—closing loopholes that currently let money flow to parties without being reported as donations. ## Why it matters Political donations are supposed to be transparent so voters know who's funding which parties. Right now, donations can be hidden through creative structures (like cheap memberships or "service deals"). This bill makes it harder for large sums to slip through unreported, which means clearer public records of who's bankrolling Australian politics. ## Key details - **Membership subscriptions over $1,000 per year** now count as gifts/donations for parties, their state branches, and associated entities—anything below that threshold is exempt - **Fundraising event payments** are captured if they're part of the proceeds the party actually keeps - **Underpriced services** (anything less than fair market value) now qualify as donations, though volunteer work is specifically excluded - The changes take effect **3 months after the bill receives Royal Assent**, giving organisations time to adjust their systems before they need to comply