Bill Moved to Cap Election Donations in Australia to $600,000

The government has put forward its bill for caps to electoral donations. The proposal also cuts the threshold for a donation to be publicly disclosed, from $16,900 to $1,000—to ensure more transparency over what funds candidates receive. Further, donations will now require cumulative annual reporting, aimed at closing loopholes like “donation splitting.” By 2028, disclosure deadlines will also be more frequent, with monthly updates and near-instant reporting—within seven days of an election being called, and just 24 hours during the final polling week. Donors will be restricted to giving $20,000 per candidate, however, donors can give to more than one candidate with the upper limit at $600,000....