Yesterday the High Court overturned the decision of the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia in relation to the former Member for Bowman, Mr Andrew Laming. The majority decision of the High Court reinstated the ruling of the primary judge that Mr Laming breached the authorisation requirements in the Commonwealth Electoral Act. The High Court also reinstated the primary judge's determination on what conduct amounts to a breach of Australia's federal electoral authorisation laws and the penalties relating to those breaches.
This decision provides further guidance on the application of Australia's federal electoral authorisation laws. The AEC will work collaboratively with the Federal Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters to explore the potential implications of this decision.
