1 May 2003

The attached background information is provided to assist media covering stories which relate to the federal registration of political parties.

The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (CEA) requires that certain criteria are met for a political party to be eligible for federal registration. The key requirements are that the party:

• be established on the basis of a written constitution;
• have as one of its objectives that it will endorse candidates for House of Representatives or Senate elections; and
• satisfy membership requirements as either:
  1. a parliamentary party (it must have at least one member who is a member of the Commonwealth Parliament) or
  2. a non-parliamentary party (it must have at least 500 members entitled to enrolment on the Commonwealth electoral roll).

The AEC processes applications by ensuring the technical requirements of the CEA are met. After these requirements are satisfied, the AEC places an advertisement in a major newspaper in each state and territory and places a public notice in the Commonwealth Government Notices Gazette.

The advertisement and public notice outline:

• the fact that the application has been received;
• the proposed name of the party;
• the proposed abbreviation of the party name;
• the proposed registered officer of the party; and
• call for any objections to the proposed registration (a one month period is allowed for objections).

Following the closure of the objection period any objections are sent to the proposed registered officer of the party who is invited to respond to the objections within two weeks.

Following the conclusion of this period the application is submitted to the Electoral Commission, which will consider any objections and replies to those objections and determine whether the party should be registered.

The period for processing of applications varies depending on issues arising from the application submitted and external factors like the suspension of party registration during election periods. The minimum period is normally eight weeks.

ELECTION FUNDING

Registered political parties are only entitled to election funding if they endorse a House of Representatives or Senate candidate who then receives at least 4% of the formal first preference votes in the House of Representatives or Senate election which they contested. (sections 294 and 297 of the CEA).

Contact:

Phil Diak
Director of Information
Phone: 02 6271 4415 or 0413 452 539

Kathy Mitchell
Director Funding and Disclosure
Phone: 02 6271 4417 or 0412 265 327