The ACT Government will ensure real time reporting for political donations to strengthen the transparency, integrity, and accessibility of elections, Chris Steel, Special Minister of State, announced on Tuesday. 

“New reporting requirements for political donations adding up to over $1000 must be made within a week of receiving the donation. 

“Real time donation laws will ensure that substantial donations are disclosed to the public more quickly, while protecting people who are participating in the grass roots political process, such as paying party membership fees.”

New laws passed this week also ban foreign donations in ACT elections in line with Commonwealth legislation.

“Our new foreign donations ban is also well tested, and has been built around the Commonwealth framework, meaning we know it works in both a legal and practical sense,” Mr Steel said. 

It will also be an offence to park a vehicle on median strips and high speed roads if a sign displaying commercial or electoral advertising is attached to the vehicle. 

“The new offence for parking a vehicle displaying political advertising in an inappropriate place is $700, or a court-imposed fine of up to $3,200,” Mr Steel said.

“This will deter unsafe parking behaviour for advertising purposes, and we will closely monitor the effectiveness of the new offence once it is implemented.

“These road safety changes will not apply in certain circumstances, such as bumper stickers or roadside advertising of vehicles for sale, either outside a dealership or by private sale.”

Corflutes will be limited to 250 per candidate and entity, to address road safety risks caused by roadside signage, whilst still providing freedom of political communication through the use of signage. 

“This package of reform will make our local elections more transparent, fairer, and encourage participation in the democratic process,” Mr Steel said.

This legislation fulfils commitments in the Parliamentary and Government Agreement for this Assembly to further restrict roadside advertising, ban foreign political donations, and introduce ‘real time’ political donation reporting.