Electoral Funding Act 2018

For the purposes of Division 3, a reference to policy development expenditure—

includes a reference to the following—

expenditure for providing information to the public or a section of the public about the eligible party,

expenditure for conferences, seminars, meetings or similar functions at which the policies of the eligible party are discussed or formulated,

expenditure on providing information to members and supporters of the eligible party,

expenditure in respect of the audit of the financial accounts of the eligible party,

expenditure on the reasonable remuneration of staff engaged in the above activities for the eligible party (being the proportion of that remuneration that relates to the time spent on those activities),

reasonable expenditure on equipment or vehicles used for the purposes of the above activities (being the proportion of the cost of their acquisition and operation that relates to the use of the equipment or vehicles for those activities),

expenditure on office accommodation for the above staff and equipment,

expenditure on interest payments on loans,

electoral expenditure incurred during a capped State expenditure period, but

does not include a reference to the following—

electoral expenditure incurred outside a capped State expenditure period,

expenditure incurred substantially in respect of activities that relate to the election of members to a Parliament other than the NSW Parliament,

expenditure prescribed by the regulations.

The decision of the Electoral Commission as to whether any expenditure is or is not policy development expenditure in accordance with this Act, the regulations and the guidelines determined under section 152 is final. The Auditor-General or an auditor is, for the purposes of this Act, entitled to rely on any such decision of the Electoral Commission.