In Australia, the majority of financing for political parties and candidates comes from private sources, including donations. Although political donations are considered a legitimate exercise of the freedom of political association and expression, some donations can be motivated by a desire to purchase influence. The risk of corruption, or even the perception that it can occur, can severely undermine the integrity of the electoral system and the public’s confidence in it.
To reduce the risk of corruption, Queensland, like many other jurisdictions, regulates political financing. Broadly, an effective regulatory framework aims to increase the transparency and integrity of the political process, and the accountability of and equity between the process’s key participants.
This report examines political donation legislation to map Queensland’s state and local government regulatory frameworks against other Australian and overseas jurisdictions.
The CMC focuses on the following elements of the legislation:
- prohibitions and restrictions on donations
- disclosure of political donations
- compliance and enforcement mechanisms.
This report provides significant detail and targets a policy and specialist audience. The CMC has not made recommendations. The CMC anticipates that the report will inform public debate and decision makers responsible for setting the regulatory framework regarding political donations and gifts in Queensland.
This report was released on 20 December 2012.
