This bill is currently before Parliament.
Government & democracy
The bill would amend the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to stop corporations and their close associates from making political donations above the disclosure thresholdThe dollar threshold in electoral law above which political gifts must be disclosed. This bill would use that existing threshold rather than creating a new one. to political entities or associated entities linked to the governing party while seeking or holding certain Commonwealth contracts, grants or approvals.
Senator Larissa Waters introduced the bill as a private senator's bill to reduce the perceived influence of corporate political donations on Commonwealth contracts, grants, tenders and approvals. The explanatory memorandum frames the problem as public confidence in government resource decisions, while the second-reading speech links the proposal to broader concern about "big money" in politics, Big Four consulting donations and contracts, PwC stopping political donations, and donations connected with environmental approvals.
The bill sits in a wider debate about money, access and integrity in federal politics. The immediate bill-specific record is narrow: Senator Waters introduced the proposal after arguing that corporations receiving public money or approvals should not be able to donate to political entities linked to the party in government. The collected public-context material also shows that procurement ethics remained under scrutiny after introduction, while the APH record shows the bill later lapsed and was restored rather than passed.
The collected bill-scoped material does not record substantive opposition to the bill or detailed criticism of its provisions. The available speech material is Senator Waters' introduction and support for the bill, while the APH-derived notes record committee referral and scrutiny consideration without the committee report text in this local bundle.
Senator Larissa Waters introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from Greens.
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
1010 days
Updated 10 June 2026.
Meaning
The bill would amend the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to stop corporations and their close associates from making political donations above the disclosure thresholdThe dollar threshold in electoral law above which political gifts must be disclosed. This bill would use that existing threshold rather than creating a new one. to political entities or associated entities linked to the governing party while seeking or holding certain Commonwealth contracts, grants or approvals.
The donation ban would cover the 12 months before a corporation applies for a Commonwealth grant, tender, approval, licence or permit, the period while the application is being considered, and generally the 12 months after the corporation is told the outcome.
The bill would also work in the other direction: a corporation or close associateFor this bill, a close associate of a corporation would include related companies, directors, officers, people with more than 20% voting power, some spouses, and lobbyists engaged by the corporation. that had made a covered donation could not, for 12 months, submit certain tender, grant or approval applications or enter into a covered Commonwealth arrangement.
The covered approvals would include approvals for controlled actions under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and could include other Commonwealth laws prescribed by the Finance Minister.
A close associateFor this bill, a close associate of a corporation would include related companies, directors, officers, people with more than 20% voting power, some spouses, and lobbyists engaged by the corporation. of a corporation would include a related body corporate, a director or officer, a person with more than 20% voting power, some spouses, and a lobbyist engaged for that corporation.
If a corporation or close associateFor this bill, a close associate of a corporation would include related companies, directors, officers, people with more than 20% voting power, some spouses, and lobbyists engaged by the corporation. made a prohibited donation, the bill would allow civil penalties of the higher of 200 penalty units or three times the gift value, and could void the relevant arrangement, revoke the approval, and let the Commonwealth recover money paid.
The bill would give the Electoral Commissioner an anti-avoidance noticeA proposed written notice from the Electoral Commissioner that could require a person or entity to stop a scheme mainly designed to avoid the new donation or application restrictions. power where there are reasonable grounds to conclude a person or entity used a scheme mainly to avoid the new donation or application restrictions.
The whole bill would start the day after Royal Assent, but the collected APH material records the bill as still before the Senate and not as an Act.
The Bill proposes amendments to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (the Act) that will prevent political donations being made that could influence the outcome of contracts, tenders, grants, approval, licence and permit processes.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fairer Contracts and Grants) explanatory memorandum
The effect of the Bill is that corporations, or close associates of the corporation, will be prevented from making a political donation above the disclosure threshold to a party of government in the following circumstances: in the 12 months before applying for a grant of Commonwealth money, while the application is being considered, or the 12 months after being notified of the outcome of an application for a grant of Commonwealth money; ... in the 12 months before applying for a tender, while the application is being considered, or within 12 months after being notified of the outcome of an application for a tender.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fairer Contracts and Grants) explanatory memorandum
A corporation must not make any application or enter into a contract for Commonwealth money, or apply for certain approvals under a law of the Commonwealth for a period of 12 months after the corporation or close associate of the corporation has made a gift to a prohibited gift recipient.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fairer Contracts and Grants) introduced bill text
in the 12 months before applying for an approval, licence or permit under a prescribed law of the Commonwealth (including approvals of controlled actions under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999)Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fairer Contracts and Grants) explanatory memorandum
The definition includes a related body corporate, a director or officer of the corporation and their spouse, a person with more than 20% voting power in the corporation and their spouse, or a lobbyist engaged to conduct lobbying activities on behalf of the corporation.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fairer Contracts and Grants) explanatory memorandum
Subsections 302J(3) to (5) provide that where an arrangement was awarded contrary to the prohibitions outlined in the Bill, the arrangement will be void and the money paid to a corporation may be recovered by the Commonwealth.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fairer Contracts and Grants) explanatory memorandum
The Electoral Commissioner may give a person or entity ... a written notice if ... there are reasonable grounds to conclude that the relevant person did so for the sole or dominant purpose of avoiding section 302J or 302K.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fairer Contracts and Grants) introduced bill text
The whole of this Act The day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fairer Contracts and Grants) introduced bill text
Context
The bill sits in a wider debate about money, access and integrity in federal politics. The immediate bill-specific record is narrow: Senator Waters introduced the proposal after arguing that corporations receiving public money or approvals should not be able to donate to political entities linked to the party in government. The collected public-context material also shows that procurement ethics remained under scrutiny after introduction, while the APH record shows the bill later lapsed and was restored rather than passed.
PwC donation decision becomes part of the case for reform
In her second-reading speech, Waters said PwC had announced it would no longer make political donations and argued that other large consultancies should not be able to donate while tendering for government work.
Second reading speech ↗Greens introduce contracts and grants donation bill
Waters introduced the bill in the Senate, describing it as a measure to reduce the influence of corporate money over Commonwealth contracts, grants, tenders and approvals.
Senate Hansard ↗Senate sends the bill to inquiry
The APH bill notes record referral to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, with a report recorded for 04 Mar 2024.
APH bill page notes ↗Tender ethics remain in public debate
The Australian Financial Review reported that the Finance Minister was considering a supplier code of conduct for tenderers after the PwC scandal, showing continuing scrutiny of federal procurement ethics after the bill was introduced.
Australian Financial Review ↗Bill restored after lapsing
The APH bill history records that the bill lapsed at the end of Parliament on 21 Jul 2025 and was restored to the Senate Notice Paper on 23 Jul 2025.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Senator Larissa Waters moved the second reading and had her speech incorporated in Hansard, setting out the case for restricting donations linked to Commonwealth contracts, grants and approvals.
Second reading moved
The bill was referred to a Senate committee three days after introduction. The local bundle records the referral and report date, but does not include the report text.
Referred to committee
APH bill page notesThe APH-derived seed records that the Senate Scrutiny of Bills committee considered the bill on 14 Sep 2023.
Considered by scrutiny committee
APH bill page notesThe APH bill history records that the bill lapsed at the end of the previous Parliament before later being restored.
The APH bill history records that the Senate restored the bill to the Notice Paper, leaving it still before the Senate.
Key criticism
The collected bill-scoped material does not record substantive opposition to the bill or detailed criticism of its provisions. The available speech material is Senator Waters' introduction and support for the bill, while the APH-derived notes record committee referral and scrutiny consideration without the committee report text in this local bundle.
This means no criticism cards are included. It should not be read as proof that no external stakeholder or committee criticism exists outside the collected local sources.
Further sources
Votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Larissa Waters introduced and supported the bill, arguing that companies and close associates should not be able to donate to governing parties while seeking or holding Commonwealth contracts, grants or approvals.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
1 speaker · 1 support
“If passed, this Bill would stop the same corporations, and their close associates, who make political donations from putting their hands out for public money in the form of contracts, tenders, grants and approvals.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
Senator Larissa Waters moved the second reading and had her speech incorporated in Hansard, setting out the case for restricting donations linked to Commonwealth contracts, grants and approvals.
Senate · Lapsed at end of Parliament
Lapsed at end of Parliament
The APH bill history records that the bill lapsed at the end of the previous Parliament before later being restored.
Senate · Restored to Notice Paper
Restored to Notice Paper
The APH bill history records that the Senate restored the bill to the Notice Paper, leaving it still before the Senate.
Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee
Referred to committee
The bill was referred to a Senate committee three days after introduction. The local bundle records the referral and report date, but does not include the report text.
The Senate referred the bill to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, with a committee report recorded for 04 Mar 2024.
APH bill page notesSenate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills
Considered by scrutiny committee
The APH-derived seed records that the Senate Scrutiny of Bills committee considered the bill on 14 Sep 2023.
The seed records scrutiny committee consideration in Scrutiny Digest 11 of 2023.
APH bill page notes