Key facts
- New electoral laws would have given Labor an extra A$15.4 million and the Liberals an extra A$9.4 million at the last federal election.
- The laws aim to cap donations, increase public funding, and limit electoral expenditure.
- Independent campaigns like Nicolette Boele's for Bradfield would have been A$746,000 worse off.
New electoral laws in Australia, agreed upon in February 2025, are designed to cap donations, increase public funding, and limit electoral spending. Government figures presented in the High Court of Australia suggest that if these laws had been in effect during the last federal election, the Labor and Liberal parties would have collectively received an additional A$25 million. The legislation faces scrutiny for potentially creating a significant advantage for the two major parties over independent candidates.