Electoral Laws (Restoring Electoral Fairness) Amendment Bill 2025

Overview

This bill changes Queensland's electoral laws across six areas: it restricts more prisoners from voting, removes the ban on property developer donations for State elections, resets donation caps to apply each financial year instead of each parliamentary term, allows bank loans to fund State election campaigns, removes Electoral Commission oversight of party preselection ballots, and extends the period during which election material must carry authorisation details.

Who it affects

Property developers regain the ability to donate to State election campaigns, and all political donors can give more over a parliamentary term due to annual cap resets. Prisoners serving sentences of one year or more (down from three years) lose their right to vote.

Key changes

• Prisoners serving sentences of 1 year or more (previously 3 years) lose the right to vote in State, local government, and referendum elections
• The ban on property developer political donations is removed for State elections but retained for local government elections, with new safeguards requiring written statements that donations are not for local government purposes
• Political donation caps now reset each financial year instead of each parliamentary term, allowing donors to contribute more over time
• Banks and regulated financial institutions can now lend money to candidates and parties for State election campaign accounts
• The Electoral Commission of Queensland no longer oversees or audits political party preselection ballots
• Election material must carry authorisation details for 12 months before an ordinary general election (up from 26 days), and candidates can use PO boxes instead of home addresses