Disclosing gifts and loans

Disclosing gifts and loans

Candidates have obligations to disclose gifts (including donations) and loans received. Gifts and loans of $1,000 or more (including cumulative amounts) received from a single donor within a candidate’s disclosure period must be disclosed to the ECQ. Disclosure returns are lodged via the Electronic Disclosure System (EDS). Most of the information in a disclosure return is accessible by the public.

Generally, disclosure returns must be lodged within 7 business days of the gift or loan being received. This is known as real-time disclosure. In the last 7 days before election day, disclosures of gifts or loans received must be lodged within 24 hours.

Note: Queensland law bans political donations from property developers and industry bodies with property developers as a majority of their members. The ECQ publishes a register of individuals and entities who, following an application, have been determined to be non-prohibited donors through a formal determination process. The register and application forms for a determination are available on the ECQ website at Prohibited donors scheme.

Links to further information:

• Fact sheet 5 – Definition of gifts, loans and political donations
• Fact sheet 17 – Real-time disclosure of gifts, loans and political donations by candidates
• Video - Real-time disclosure obligations for candidates and registered political parties
• Video - what counts as a gift