Civil Penalties and Tender Bans for Corporations Making Political Gifts
Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fairer Contracts and Grants) Bill 2023
Private Member's BillSenate
House of Representatives
Assent
Introduced by: Senator Larissa Waters (GRN)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
Corporations and their close associates cannot give gifts to political entities in government if they are applying for tenders, grants, or licences.
Corporations that break this rule face a civil penalty; this is the higher of 200 penalty units (2026: $72,800) or three times the gift value.
Any government contract, licence, or permit granted to a corporation that made a prohibited gift is revoked; the government can recover any money already paid.
Corporations that make a prohibited gift are banned from applying for tenders, grants, or licences for 12 months.
The Electoral Commissioner can order a person to stop a scheme designed to avoid these rules by splitting gifts to stay below disclosure thresholds.
People who ignore the Electoral Commissioner's notice face a penalty of 200 penalty units (2026: $72,800) or a civil penalty of three times the gift value.