Inquiry into local election campaign spending

DUBBO REGIONAL COUNCIL elections are next scheduled for 2020. That election will be governed by a joint standing committee on electoral matters which last month released a recommendation to amend the Electoral Funding Act 2018 and cap campaign expenditure.

The report said the “electoral contest should be a battle of competing visions and ideas, not competing bank balances”.

Under the recommended model, mayoral candidates are allowed additional spending. Third party campaigners linked to candidates will also be capped.

The recommendations are yet to be legislated.