Foreign political donations will be banned in the ACT and voters will permanently be able to cast their ballots two weeks before polling day.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Candidates running for seats in the Legislative Assembly will also be limited to 250 corflutes and campaigners will be banned from erecting the signs on high-speed arterial roads.
Vehicles emblazoned with political signs will also be banned from declared areas, with campaigners found breaching the rules to face on-the-spot fines of $640 and a maximum court fine of $3200.
Special Minister of State Chris Steel will on Thursday introduce changes to the ACT's electoral laws ahead of next year's territory election.
The laws will introduce real-time donation reporting to the Electoral Commission and a complete ban on donations from foreign sources.
"The importance of ensuring the integrity of and public confidence in the ACT's voting system cannot be overstated, it is core to our democracy and the right of every voter to know how candidates, politicians and political parties are funded and that they are not being influenced by foreign actors," Mr Steel said.
Mr Steel said the changes to the law would strengthen Canberra's democratic processes by making voting more accessible.
MORE A.C.T. POLITICS NEWS:
Voters will no longer need a reason to vote in the early voting period - around two weeks before polling day - with the government to permanently adopt a change made during the 2020 election, where COVID-19 precautions sought to spread polling booth demand out over a longer period.
Voters with vision impairments will be able to vote by electronic and telephone voting, while overseas electors will also be eligible for early voting.
"Importantly these changes will also ensure that where people are experiencing homelessness that the Electoral Commission will be able to undertake mobile polling where people in this situation are most likely to gather," Mr Steel said.
The proposed changes stop short of the total ban of roadside corflutes which the Legislative Assembly's standing committee on justice and community safety recommended in August 2021 in its inquiry into the 2020 election.
The government will instead ban the roadside election signs from roads with speed limits at or exceeding 90kmh, citing road safety concerns.
Exemptions would apply for certain vehicles and advertising when the government bans parking vehicles with attached advertising or campaign signs in certain areas.
"This will mean that Canberrans won't have to view billboard style commercial or political advertising attached to cars and trucks parked on arterial roads that could distract drivers, or cause a collision hazard," Mr Steel said.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
