4. Is there a ban on corporate donations to candidates?

Disclosure thresholds: https://www.aec.gov.au/parties_and_representatives/public_funding/threshold.htm Legislative changes: https://www.aec.gov.au/news/disclosure-legislative-changes.htm Queensland ban: https://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/donations-and-expenditure-disclosure/prohibited-donors-scheme

While no ban exists on corporate donations, the donations must be disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commission if it is above a certain threshold. Donations from companies to candidates are listed on the donor transparency register. The financial disclosure scheme for Federal elections was amended with effect from 8 December 2005 to increase the threshold to ‘more than $10 000’. This amount is indexed with effect from 1 July each year based on increases in the consumer price index.The disclosure threshold amount that applies from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 is more than $17,300. Following the passage of the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 2025 (Cth), the disclosure threshold will reduce to $5,000 on 1 July 2026. Electoral legislation in some States and Territories ban donations from particular classes of donors e.g. Queensland law bans political donations from property developers.