New Parties Fund

The purpose of the New Parties Fund is to reimburse eligible political parties for policy development expenditure incurred in a financial year. 

A political party that is eligible to receive a payment may make a claim with the NSW Electoral Commission for payment from the fund.

The NSW Electoral Commission publishes reports on payments made from the New Parties Fund.

Eligibility

A party is eligible for annual payments from the fund if:

• it was a registered party (for 12 months or more) for the full financial year in which the policy development expenditure was incurred

• the NSW Electoral Commission is satisfied it operates as a genuine political party

• it is not entitled to payments from the Administration Fund.

Here, a registered party means a party that was registered for 12 months or more since its date of registration as at 1 January of the relevant financial year, and remained registered for the entire financial year.

Amounts payable

The annual amount payable to an eligible party is the amount of actual policy development expenditure incurred by the party during the financial year up to a maximum amount. That maximum amount is adjusted for inflation each year.

The annual maximum amounts are calculated using the following information: 

• the number of first preference votes received by any candidate endorsed by the party at the previous State general election (and multiplying that number with the relevant amount of cents for a financial year), or

• a threshold dollar amount, whichever is greater.

The maximum amount payable for expenditure incurred in 2023-24 financial year for eligible parties:

• 75 cents for each first preference vote received by any candidate endorsed by the party at the previous state general election. For the first 8 years after registration, the maximum amount available is at least or $14,300.

Previous and current financial years’ maximum amounts payable to parties from the New Parties Fund*:

Previous calendar years’ maximum amounts payable to parties from the New Parties Fund:

*Prior to the commencement of the Electoral Funding Act 2018, policy development expenditure was claimed from the Policy Development Fund under the Election Funding, Expenditure, and Disclosures Act 1981.

**Prior to 1 July 2022, the New Parties Fund was calculated on a calendar year. It is now based on a financial year following the commencement of the Electoral Legislation Amendment Act 2022.

***Total maximum entitlement amount is calculated by multiplying the dollar amount with the number of first-preference-votes received by the party's endorsed candidates at the last state general election.

****Maximum entitlement amount if more than the amount based on first-preference-votes during the first 8 years of the party's registration, after which time the maximum entitlement amount is based on first-preference-votes only.

Rules for making a claim

In order to receive a payment from the fund, a claim for payment must be lodged with the NSW Electoral Commission by the party agent of a party. A registered officer is permitted to lodge a disclosure or public funding claim instead of the party agent if the agent is absent, providing the following conditions are met:

• the registered officer has completed the NSW Electoral Commission’s agent training (unless exempt); and 

• the NSW Electoral Commission has been notified in writing, either by the party agent or registered officer

A claim for an annual payment can be made within the 6 month period after the end of a financial year. An annual payment takes into account the amount of expenditure included in a quarterly claim.

The NSW Electoral Commission advises all eligible parties of how and when to make a claim for payment. A claim for payment must:

• be lodged with the NSW Electoral Commission using the approved form

• be accompanied by a declaration which includes the policy development expenditure incurred by the party in the financial year

• the expenditure referred to in the declaration must be accompanied by copies of the accounts or receipts for the expenditure and any other information the NSW Electoral Commission may require in connection with the claim. 

All New Parties Fund claims for payment are published on the NSW Electoral Commission’s website.

How to submit a claim

For instructions on submitting a claim form, please refer to our How-to guides under Funding and disclosure online.

What to include in a claim

An eligible party may include in the claim any policy development expenditure incurred in the financial year. Policy development expenditure includes:

• expenditure for providing information to the public or a section of the public about the eligible party

• expenditure for conferences, seminars, meetings or similar functions at which the policies of the eligible party are discussed or formulated

• expenditure on providing information to members and supporters of the eligible party

• expenditure in respect of the audit of the financial accounts of, or claims for payment or disclosures of, the eligible party

• expenditure on the reasonable remuneration of staff engaged in the above activities for the eligible party (being the proportion of that remuneration that relates to the time spent on those activities)

• reasonable expenditure on equipment or vehicles used for the purposes of the above activities (being the proportion of the cost of their acquisition and operation that relates to the use of the equipment or vehicles for those activities)

• expenditure on office accommodation for the above staff and equipment

• expenditure on interest payments on loans

• electoral expenditure incurred during a capped State expenditure period. 

Policy development expenditure does not include:

• electoral expenditure incurred outside the capped State expenditure period.

• expenditure incurred substantially in respect of activities that relate to the election of members to a parliament other than the NSW Parliament

• expenditure prescribed by the regulations.

The NSW Electoral Commission issues guidelines to give further examples of what is and is not policy development expenditure.

Receiving a payment

Payments are made within 30 days of the NSW Electoral Commission receiving a valid claim.

Payments are made by the NSW Electoral Commission to an account held by the party. No payments are made to a party or elected member while:

• the party or member has an outstanding declaration of political donations and electoral expenditure

• the party has not provided the NSW Electoral Commission with its audited annual financial statements

• the party has not provided the NSW Electoral Commission with a list of senior office holders.

The NSW Electoral Commission may deduct from a payment any amount it is authorised to recover from a party, e.g. an amount for an unlawful political donation. The NSW Electoral Commission is authorised to recover any amount a party receives that is in excess of the amount the party becomes entitled.