Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918

Subject to subsection (2), administrative expenditure, by a registered political party or an independent member, means the following expenditure to the extent that the expenditure relates, directly or indirectly, to a matter under this Act:

expenditure for the administration or management of the activities of the registered political party or independent member;

expenditure for conferences, seminars, meetings or similar functions at which the policies of the registered political party or independent member are discussed or formulated;

expenditure in respect of auditing of the financial accounts of, or auditing in connection with claims or disclosures under this Part in relation to, the registered political party or independent member;

expenditure on the remuneration of staff engaged in one or more of the matters referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) for the registered political party or independent member, to the extent that the expenditure relates to the time that the staff are engaged in those matters;

expenditure on the training of staff of the registered political party or independent member in relation to one or more of the matters referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c);

expenditure on equipment (including information technology equipment) or vehicles used by staff whilst engaged in one or more of the matters referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) for the registered political party or independent member, to the extent that the expenditure related to the use of the equipment or vehicles by the staff whilst engaged in those matters;

expenditure on office accommodation for the staff and equipment referred to in paragraphs (d) and (f);

expenditure on interest payments on loans, to the extent that the loans are in connection with one or more of the matters referred to in paragraphs (a) to (g);

expenditure in relation to complying with obligations under this Act;

expenditure of a kind prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph.

If expenditure is partially for a matter covered by subsection (1) and partially for another purpose or purposes, then, subject to subsection (2), the expenditure to the extent it is for the matter covered by subsection (1) is administrative expenditure.

The sharing of staff between core members of a registered political party’s expenditure group is not a gift (see subparagraph 287AAB(3)(m)(i)).

Administrative expenditure does not include the following:

expenditure incurred for the dominant purpose of creating or communicating particular electoral matter or electoral matter generally;

expenditure to the extent that it is of a kind that is payable or reimbursable by the Commonwealth (except under Division 3AA) to or in relation to a person who is or was a member of the House of Representatives, a Senator or a Minister, because that person is or was such a member, Senator or Minister;

expenditure for a State or Territory electoral purpose;

expenditure of a kind prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph.

For the definition of State or Territory electoral purpose, see section 287.