Disclosing political donations and electoral expenditure

Candidates at the NSW Local Government elections must disclose all political donations made and received and all electoral expenditure incurred from the time they are registered or nominated for the election, up to and including the end of the last relevant disclosure period on 30 June 2025.

View more information about candidate disclosures.

Both small political donations and reportable political donations made or received must be disclosed to NSW Electoral Commission in the appropriate half-yearly disclosure form each financial year.

Small political donations are donations of less than $1,000, including multiple donations of less than $1,000 made by the same donor to the same recipient in a financial year that in aggregate are less than $1,000. 

Reportable donations are donations that are valued at $1,000 or more, including multiple donations of less than $1,000 made by the same donor to the same recipient in a financial year that in aggregate are $1,000 or more. 

View more information about political donations and candidate disclosures. 

Yes, any personal payments must be disclosed to the NSW Electoral Commission in the relevant half-yearly disclosure of political donations. 

While there is no limit on the amount a candidate can contribute to their own campaign, electoral expenditure is capped, and the candidate must not breach the applicable electoral expenditure cap.  

All personal payments or contributions, along with political donations received, must be deposited into the campaign account, and payments for electoral expenditure must be made from the campaign account and disclosed as part of an annual disclosure of electoral expenditure. 

View the cap amounts and more information on political donations.

Political donations received in a financial year period which are less than $1,000 or do not aggregate to $1,000 are considered small donations and must be disclosed in the relevant half-yearly donation disclosure period.

More information about political donations, including small donations.