By Staff Writer

New South Wales councils are now required to publish copies of political donation and electoral expenditure disclosure declarations on the Election Funding Authority (EFA) website.

Following amendments to the Election Funding and Disclosures Act 1981, councillors are also required to lodge disclosure declarations every six months instead of every four years after ordinary elections.

The Department of Local Government has also reminded councils that with the commencement of the Local Government and Planning Legislation Amendment (Political Donations) Act 2008, the general manager of each local councils is to keep a public register of all current donations and expenditure declarations lodged by councillors with the EFA.

Where a general manager reasonably suspects that a councillor has failed to disclose and manage a conflict of interest arising from a political donation, the general manager must refer the matter to the Deputy Director General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s local government division.

For more information visit www.efa.nsw.gov.au.