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Canberra Today 15°/18° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Third-party campaigners fined

INFRINGEMENT letters have been issued to three third-party campaigners for exceeding the electoral expenditure cap during the 2016 ACT Legislative Assembly election.

ClubsACT, Trades Hall Building Limited and United Firefighters Union of Australia all spent more than the expenditure cap of $40,000.

The capped expenditure period commenced on January 1, 2016 and concluded on polling day, October 15, the same year.

“Following each election, entities are required to report the electoral expenditure they incurred during the capped expenditure period for that election,” says the Acting ACT Electoral Commissioner, Ro Spence.

“Each of the three third-party campaigners correctly submitted their election returns to the Commissioner, reporting their total expenditure”, Mr Spence continued.”

ClubsACT reported electoral expenditure of $56,190.20 or $16,190.20 over the expenditure cap, Trades Hall Building Limited expended $41,720.78 or $1720.78 in excess of the allowable limit and The United Firefighters Union of Australia, ACT Branch, overspent the cap by $697.40, reporting a total expenditure of $40,697.40.

“Following the lodgement of the returns in December 2016, the Electoral Commission undertook a compliance review of all election returns to ensure correct reporting of electoral expenditure and gifts received,” Mr Spence says.

“Each of the three third-party campaigners were found to have reported their expenditure accurately.”

The “Electoral Act 1992” provides for a penalty, payable to the Territory, equal to twice the amount by which the electoral expenditure exceeds the expenditure cap.

Each organisation now has 14 days to show cause as to why they should not be liable for the penalty.

Election returns at ACT Electoral Commission’s website or Ground floor, North Building, 180 London Circuit, Canberra City.

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