The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of the Australian Electoral Commission’s management of financial disclosures required under Part XX of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, including the extent to which the AEC is achieving accurate and complete financial disclosures.

Perceived lack of integrity in Australia’s political and bureaucratic processes is partlially due to weak laws regulating the flow and transparency of money in government. This discussion paper includes a 15 point plan to eliminate the undue influence of money in politics.

In Australia, trust in government is at an all-time low. The are many causes of declining trust. Globalisation and cultural anxiety are part of the story, as is the changing media landscape. But the actions and inactions of politicians are also part of the problem. This submission outlines some practical, low-cost reforms that are available.

This guide summarises the often complex funding and disclosure laws federally, and in each Australian state and territory. These laws regulate who can make and receive political donations, how and when those donations must be disclosed, how much money political parties can spend on election campaigns, and the amount of public money they receive to...

Powerful and well-resourced business groups, unions and not-for-profits are influencing policy in Australia to serve their interests, sometimes at the expense of the public interest. Stronger checks and balances on policy influence are needed, to make Australian politics cleaner and fairer.