Part 1—Transitional provisions

1  Requirement to register in relation to pre‑existing arrangements

If, at the time the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act 2017 commences, a registrable arrangement is in existence between a person and a foreign principal, then, despite section 16 of that Act, the person is not required to register under the scheme before the day that is 6 months after the day on which that Act commences.

Part 2—Amendments relating to the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform) Act 2017

Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act 2017

2  Section 10 (definition of electoral donations threshold)

Omit “$13,500”, substitute “the disclosure threshold within the meaning of Part XX of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918”.

3  Section 10 (after paragraph (d) of the definition of general political lobbying)

Insert:

                     (e)  a person or entity that is registered under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 as a political campaigner;

4  At the end of subsection 12(1)

Add:

                   ; (g)  processes in relation to a person or entity registered under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 as a political campaigner.

5  At the end of section 12

Add:

Examples of processes in relation to registered political campaigner

             (7)  For the purposes of paragraph (1)(g), the following are examples of processes in relation to a person or entity registered under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 as a political campaigner:

                     (a)  processes in relation to the campaigner’s:

                              (i)  constitution; or

                             (ii)  platform; or

                            (iii)  policy on any matter of public concern; or

                            (iv)  administrative or financial affairs (in his or her capacity as a campaigner, if the campaigner is an individual); or

                             (v)  membership; or

                            (vi)  relationship with foreign principals within the meaning of paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of the definition of foreign principal in section 10, or with bodies controlled by such foreign principals;

                     (b)  the conduct of the campaigner’s campaign in relation to a federal election or designated vote;

                     (c)  the selection (however done) of officers of the campaigner’s executive or delegates to its conferences;

                     (d)  the selection (however done) of the campaigner’s leader and any spokespersons for the campaigner.