Committee Details

Submissions

Submissions closed at 4.00pm on Friday, 10 April 2015.

Objective of the Bill

The key objectives of the Bill are to give effect to the Government’s election commitments to amend the Electoral Act 1992 (Electoral Act) to:

• reinstate the $1,000 gift threshold amount, backdated to 21 November 2013;

• remove voter proof of identity requirements; and

• facilitate real time disclosure of political donations.

Other objectives of the Bill are to:

• remove voter proof of identity requirements for local government elections;

• clarify when a fundraising contribution is a gift; and

• give effect to the Government’s election commitment that the chair (CCC chair) of the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) have access to a judicial pension.

Other Information

The Electoral and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 and Explanatory Notes are available from the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel at www.legislation.qld.gov.au.

The Hansard transcript of the explanatory speech for the Bill can be accessed here.

Public Briefing and Hearing

The Committee held a public departmental briefing and a public hearing on Thursday, 16 April 2015 in Brisbane. 

A transcript of the public departmental briefing is available via this link.

A transcript of the public hearing is available via this link.

Reasons for the Bill

The Bill contains key measures for ensuring the public can have confidence in the accountability, transparency and integrity of the electoral gift disclosure regime, including the Government’s commitment to the member for Nicklin to work with the Electoral Commission of Queensland and the other parties to develop a real-time online system of disclosure of electoral donations.   

The Bill removes the voter proof of identity requirements introduced by the former government in 2014, from both the Electoral Act and the Local Government Electoral Act 2011.

The Bill’s proposed amendments to the Crime and Corruption Act 2001 and Judges (Pensions and Long Leave) Act 1957 aims to ensure that the Chairperson of the Crime and Corruption Commission will have access to a judicial pension, as part of the remuneration package for that position.

Referral

On 27 March 2015, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Training and Skills, the Hon Yvette D’Ath MP, introduced the Electoral and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 into the Queensland Parliament.  In accordance with Standing Order 131 of the Standing Rules and Orders of the Legislative Assembly, the Bill was referred to the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee (the Committee) for detailed consideration.

By motion of the House the Committee is required to report to the Parliament by 1 May 2015 - report available here.