By Laura Michell
Twenty-four candidates who nominated for the 2020 elections at three councils in Melbourne’s north-west have been officially warned by the Local Government Inspectorate after failing to submit a campaign donation return.
According to the inspectorate, a campaign donation return is a record of any gifts, donations or in-kind support worth $500 or more received by election candidates for use in their campaigns.
Candidates must submit a return to the chief executive of the council where they are standing for election within 40 days after election day. Candidates must also submit a return even if they do not receive any donations or support.
A summary of these declarations must then be published on the council’s website.
An inspectorate investigation found that, of a total of 2192 candidates across the state, 144 failed to submit a campaign donation return within 40 days.
The inspectorate said 24 candidates subsequently submitted a late return
The remaining 109 candidates who failed to comply were issued with an official warning.
The inspectorate said five councils – Maribyrnong, Hume, Wyndham, Hindmarsh and Moyne – had “concerning rates of non-compliance”.
In Maribyrnong seven out of 41 candidates did not submit a campaign donation return, while 10 out of 60 candidates in Hume did not comply.
In Wyndham, seven out of 86 candidates did not submit a campaign donation return.
“In Wyndham, the number of candidates who failed to submit a campaign donation return fell in 2020 compared to 2016, an election where an unprecedented 46 per cent or 44 out of 95 candidates did not comply,” the inspectorate said.
Chief Municipal Inspector Michael Stefanovic said: “It is vital to our democracy that electoral candidates in council elections declare any donations, gifts or support they receive.
“The purpose of the campaign donation declaration is to ensure ongoing integrity and transparency in the sector. The community has a right to know who is supporting their local candidate and should be able to easily access this information on their council’s website.
“The disclosure of campaign donations by all candidates is fundamental to the electoral process – and maintains the integrity of future decision making and governance by Victorian councils.”
The inspectorate said that the rate of non-compliance at the 2020 elections halved compared to the 2016 elections, when 290 candidates failed to comply.
