Local Electoral Amendment Bill

The Justice and Electoral Select Committee has reported back the Local Electoral Amendment Bill. The Bill basically updates the local body election laws to much the same level as the national electoral laws, so that there is greater transparency around donations. Both John Banks and Len Brown didn’t disclose numerous donations last election through (legal) use of anonymous donations (Banks) and laundering them through trusts (Brown).

Beyond the changes in the original bill, they have recommended some further changes:

• require that candidate profile statements include whether or not the candidate’s principal place of residence is in the local government area in question
• allow electoral officers to publish all election returns
• allow prosecutions for up to three years after an offence was committed

It will be good to see the bill pass into law.