French CJ
Hayne
J
Crennan J
Kiefel
J
Bell
J
5.
expenditure that exceeds the applicable cap if that expenditure and any
other electoral communication expenditure by an affiliated organisation of
that party exceed the applicable cap so specified for the party."
13
An "affiliated organisation" of a party is defined, by s 95G(7), to mean a
body or other organisation:
"that is authorised under the rules of that party to appoint delegates to the
governing body of that party or to participate in pre-selection of
candidates for that party (or both)."
14
Each of the second, third and sixth plaintiffs is authorised to appoint
delegates to the annual conference of the Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch)
and to participate in the preselection of that party's candidates for State elections.
Each of the plaintiffs intends to make donations to the Australian Labor Party,
the Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch), other political parties or the first
plaintiff and to incur electoral communication expenditure within the meaning of
the EFED Act to the extent permitted by law.
15
Section 83 of the EFED Act, which appears at the commencement of Pt 6,
provides that the Part applies only in relation to State and local government
elections and elected members of Parliament or councils. Other provisions more
directly seek to address the potential effect of the EFED Act with respect to
federal election campaigns. Section 95B(2) provides for an exception to the
general prohibition, in s 95B(1), on a person accepting a political donation which
exceeds the applicable cap on political donations. The exception arises where the
political donation is to be paid into, or held as an asset of, an account kept
exclusively for the purpose of a federal or local government election campaign.
Clause 34A of the Election Funding, Expenditure and Disclosures Regulation
2009 (NSW) ("the Regulations"), which was introduced by an amendment
shortly prior to the hearing of this matter 20, extends the exemption to all political
donations which are paid or made for the purpose of a federal election campaign.
16
These exceptions draw attention to the essential premise of the plaintiffs'
case. It is that ss 96D and 95G(6) impermissibly burden the freedom of
communication on political or governmental matters (referred to as "political
communication" in these reasons) which is implied in the Commonwealth
20
Election Funding, Expenditure and Disclosures Amendment (Political Donations)
Regulation 2013 (NSW).