Funding and disclosure - political parties

Appointing an agent

Agents manage funding and disclosure obligations and ensure compliance with the Act.

👉 See our agents page for details.

Prescribed details for returns

Under the Act, registered political parties and their agents must submit prescribed details to ECSA to meet funding and disclosure obligations.

These details include:

• Agent information: Name, contact details, and appointment status.
• State campaign account details: Bank name, account number, and registration confirmation.
• Receipts and debts: Amounts received or owed over $1,000.
• Political expenditure: Evidence of campaign-related spending.
• Donations: Source, amount, and purpose.
• Annual and election returns: Lodged within statutory timeframes.

If the donor or creditor is an association, trust, foundation, or body corporate, the returns must include:

• Names of executive committee or board members.
• Parent, subsidiary, or related entities.
• These details can be omitted if they are publicly available and the return includes a reference and website link to the publication.

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State campaign accounts

Required for managing donations, public funding, and political expenditure. Must be opened with an authorised bank and registered with the Electoral Commission.

👉 See our state campaign accounts page for details.

Expenditure caps and reporting

Expenditure caps apply to political participants during election periods. These rules help ensure fairness and transparency in campaign spending.

• Spending limits apply from 1 July before the election to 30 days after polling day.
• Participants spending over $5,000 must lodge a capped expenditure return within 60 days after polling day.

👉 See our expenditure caps page for details.

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Types of funding

 Advance funding

Registered political parties may apply for advance funding before polling day by lodging a section 130PF certificate. Once lodged, the certificate cannot be withdrawn.

Advance funding is paid in instalments and calculated based on either:

• Previous election results (notional amount), or
• A legislated set amount (e.g. $2,500 per candidate – 2026 indexed)

Eligibility, payment structure, and repayment rules vary depending on:

• Whether the party is recontesting
• Whether endorsed candidates are current or former MPs
• Whether the election is for the House of Assembly or the Legislative Council.

👉 For full details, see:

• Advance funding – House of Assembly elections
• Advance funding – Legislative Council elections

By-elections

Advance public funding is available in a House of Assembly by-election, but only under strict conditions.

👉 Learn more on our advance funding page.

Administrative funding

Administrative funding (formerly known as special assistance funding) is a form of public funding provided under Division 5 of the Electoral Act 1985 (the Act). It is paid as a half-yearly entitlement to eligible registered political parties and independent members of parliament to assist with the reimbursement of administrative expenditure.

Funding is available to:

• Registered political parties with one or more members in the South Australian Parliament (House of Assembly or Legislative Council)
• Independent members of parliament.

👉See or administrative funding page for details.

Policy development funding