Policy development funding provides reimbursement to eligible registered political parties for policy development expenditure incurred during a financial year.
Eligibility
To qualify for annual payments, a party must be an entitled registered political party for at least 12 months during the full calendar year in which the expenditure was incurred. Additionally, the party must not be receiving payments from the administrative fund.
A registered party is considered eligible if it has been registered for 12 months or more as of 1 January and remains registered for the entire calendar year.
Funding amount
Eligible parties may receive up to $20,000 per year (indexed from 2026), based on the actual amount of policy development expenditure incurred. Importantly, this funding must not be paid into a state campaign account and cannot be used for political or electoral expenditure.
What qualifies as policy development expenditure
Expenditure may include activities such as:
- Hosting conferences, seminars, meetings, or similar functions where party policies are discussed.
- Providing information about party policies to members and supporters.
- Conducting research for the purpose of developing party policies.
How to claim
Eligible parties can submit a claim to the Electoral Commission of South Australia within 30 days after the end of the calendar year to which the expenditure relates.