10 April 2017
Election returns
Election returns are to be lodged with the Commission by 26 June 2017, and are required to disclose any electoral expense incurred for or during the election period, 1 February until 11 March 2017.
Even if the candidate, party or Legislative Council group has nothing to disclose, that is, they received no gifts and incurred no electoral expenditure, a nil return is still required by legislation. If candidates nominated by a political party have not received any gifts directly, and they did not incur any of their own electoral expense, then the party agent can submit a return to the Commission to that effect, that is, a letter listing those party candidates who would otherwise submit a nil return.
Return of nomination fees
Where a candidate has received more than 4% of the first preference vote, they are entitled to have their nomination fee of $250 returned. The Commission will contact the person who paid the nomination fee (the Independent candidate or Political Party for candidates nominated centrally by a party) to obtain the relevant details to return the nomination fee.
Claims for public funding
The Commission does not automatically pay eligible candidates, political parties or Legislative Council groups funding for their electoral expenditure. Claims for public funding need to be lodged with the Commission by Monday, 31 July 2017 for consideration.
The amount that is paid is the lesser amount of either what was spent on electoral expenditure or what is calculated to be the election funding reimbursement amount (the number of first preference votes multiplied by $1.86993). Claims can only be submitted for reimbursement of expenses that can be categorised as electoral expenditure as defined by the Electoral Act 1907.
Further information – funding and disclosure
Returns for election disclosure and claims for public funding can be submitted via email to fad@waec.wa.gov.au.
Further information concerning funding and disclosure is available in the Guidelines, Election Disclosure Information Sheet and Public Funding Claims Information Sheet. A copy of the “Political Finance Timetable” for the 2017 State General Election is available here.
Queries can be sent to the Electoral Liaison Officer at fad@waec.wa.gov.au or by calling the Commission on (08) 9214 0400.