Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Banning Dirty Donations) Bill 2026

# Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Banning Dirty Donations) Bill 2026 ## What it does This bill tightens rules on who can donate money to political parties and related organisations. It bans certain types of business entities from making political donations and puts a $1,000-per-year cap on membership subscriptions paid to parties, party-linked organisations, and political campaign groups. ## Why it matters Political donations can influence who gets elected and what policies get pursued. By restricting where money comes from, this bill aims to reduce the risk that wealthy businesses or hidden interests can quietly buy political favours behind the scenes. ## Key details - **Banned donors**: Some categories of business entities are now completely prohibited from giving money to political parties (the exact list isn't fully visible in this excerpt, but the bill specifically targets these) - **Subscription cap**: If you (or an organisation you run) want to pay membership fees to a party or political campaign group, anything over $1,000 per year won't count as an allowed donation - **When it starts**: The law takes effect once it gets Royal Assent, but it's tied to another electoral reform law passing first, so the timing depends on parliament's progress