Agent A party agent or official agent. A party agent is the registered agent of a registered political party. An official agent is the registered agent of an elected member, candidate or group.

Assembly Legislative Assembly of New South Wales.

Auditor A registered company auditor within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001 of the Commonwealth.

Authority Election Funding Authority of New South Wales.

By-election In relation to State elections – means a by-election for the Legislative Assembly. In relation to local government elections – means a by-election for a councillor (including the mayor) of a local council or a local government area.

Candidate A person nominated as a candidate at an election in accordance with the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912, and includes a person applying for registration as, or registered as, a candidate in the Register of Candidates for the election.

Contest(ed) Where more than one person contends or competes in an election.

Council The Legislative Council of New South Wales.

Donor A person or legal entity who makes a gift.

Donation in kind A gift of goods and/or services for which no payment or insufficient payment is expected nor made. This would include such things as office space, vehicles, computers, advertising, distribution, printed materials or any other goods or services normally purchased in the course of an election campaign.

EFA The Election Funding Authority of New South Wales.

Elected member A member of Parliament or a local government councillor (including a mayor). This includes a person who has ceased to be an elected member but is entitled to remuneration as such.

Election An Assembly general election or by-election, a periodic Council election, a local government ordinary election or by-election.

Election Day or polling day is the day for the taking of the polls at an election.

Electoral District A district for the election of a member to serve in the Assembly.

Endorsed In relation to a party, means endorsed, selected or otherwise accredited to stand as a representative of the party.

Expenditure Includes any disposition of property.

General Election Assembly general election and a periodic Council election held or to be held concurrently.

Gift Any disposition of property made by a person to another person and includes the provision of a service (other than volunteer labour).

Group A group of candidates, or part of a group of candidates, for election to the Council.

Head of Group The candidate whose name appears first on the ‘Claim to be included in a group’ lodged with the New South Wales Electoral Commission.

Local government election An election under the Local Government Act 1993 for the office of councillor or mayor under that Act (other than an election of mayor by councillors).

Nomination Day Or day of nomination is, in relation to a general election, the day named on the Writ for the periodic Council election on which all nominations of candidates must be made.

Official Agent A person who is appointed by a candidate or group of candidates to act on behalf of himself/herself or the group. A person appointed as an official agent assumes full responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Act and Regulations.

Parliament The Parliament of New South Wales.

Party A body or organisation, incorporated or unincorporated, having as one of its objects or activities the promotion of the election to parliament of a candidate or a group of candidates endorsed by it or by a body or organisation of which it forms part.

Periodic Council Election An election held for the return of 21 members of the Legislative Council.

Person Includes an individual, a corporation a body corporate or a politic.

Political donation A gift made to an elected member, a party, a candidate or a group of candidates. This includes:

• cash
• the purchase of tickets or other items relating to fund-raising events
• the provision of goods or services at no cost or insufficient cost
• subscriptions paid to a party by members or affiliated groups

Prescribed Is to impose with authority.

Primary Votes In relation to a candidate at an election the total number of formal first preference votes recorded for the candidate on all ballot papers. In relation to a group of candidates, or a party with endorsed candidates, at an election, the total number of formal first preference votes recorded for the candidates on all ballot papers other than the votes recorded for candidates for election to the Assembly.

Registered (except in the case of a party) means registered in accordance with the Act.

Registered agent See Agent, above. Official agents and party agents must be registered by the EFA.

Registered party A party registered under Part 4A of the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912, being a party which stated in its application for registration that it wished to be registered for the purposes of the Act.

Regulations The Election Funding Regulation 2004.

Reporting period (Also referred to as the relevant disclosure period) The period ending 30 June or 31 December of any year. The reporting period starts 30 days after the previous election or 12 months before a candidate was nominated for the current election, whichever occurs first.

Reportable donation A political donation or donations of $1,000 or more by a single person or entity within a financial year.

Returning Officer A person who is legally authorised to act on behalf of the New South Wales Electoral Commission to manage a Legislative assembly election for an electoral district.

The Act The Election Funding and Disclosures Act 1981.

Writ The document issued by the Governor-General ordering the election of a member or members of parliament.