ELECTORAL AMENDMENT
(FINANCE AND OTHER MATTERS) BILL 2023 —DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS
1463. Hon WILSON TUCKER to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Electoral Affairs:
I know that this question may be
ruled out of order, but we will see how we go. I refer to the proposed
disclosure requirements of the Electoral Amendment (Finance and Other Matters)
Bill 2023, and I note recent reporting of a planned Labor Party fundraiser
advertising tickets for $6 000 a person or $10 000 to sit next to former
Premier Hon Mark McGowan.
(1) Will
political parties hosting such events be required to disclose individual ticket
sales within seven days?
(2) Will in-kind
contributions, such as bottles of Penfolds Grange wine, be subject to the same
disclosure requirements?
Hon
MATTHEW SWINBOURN replied:
I thank the member for some notice
of the question. I might say that if the member thinks the question is out of
order, he might not want to ask it in the first place. In any event, I shall
provide the answer that has been provided to me by the Minister for Electoral Affairs.
(1) If the amount
or value of the gift exceeds the specified amount, which will commence at $2 600
and be indexed annually thereafter, the political party will be required to
disclose it to the Western Australian Electoral Commission. If a gift involves
inadequate consideration, such as the purchase of a ticket to a fundraiser for
which a meal and drinks are provided, the amount or value of the gift for the
purpose of disclosure is the difference
between the consideration provided—the meal, drinks et cetera—and
the value of the gift, which is the ticket price.
(2) The
definition of a gift includes a disposition of property made by a person to
another person without consideration in money or money's worth or with
inadequate consideration.
Note that the commencement date for
the bill, once passed, is 1 July 2024.