Australian Electoral Laws: Constitutional and Policy Questions

Seminar co-hosted by the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies, the Gilbert and Tobin Centre of Public Law and the Electoral Research Regulation Network

In this seminar, a panel of experts addressed recent developments in electoral funding laws in the Commonwealth and Victoria, including issues arising from the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 2025 and the political donation provisions of the Electoral Act 2002 (Victoria).

View the seminar recording

Expert Panel:

• Dr Catherine Williams is Executive Director at the Centre for Public Integrity. Her research focuses on enhancing transparency and accountability in respect of the exercise of public power, and together with the Hon Stephen Charles AO KC she is co-author of the book Keeping them honest - the case for a genuine national integrity commission and other vital democratic reforms.
• Adrienne Stone is a Melbourne Laureate Professor and Director of the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies at Melbourne Law School.  She researches in the areas of constitutional law and constitutional theory, freedom of expression and academic freedom. Among her recent works is Open Minds: Academic Freedom and Freedom of Speech (2021) (co-authored with Carolyn Evans). She is a foundation editor of Comparative Constitutional Studies and the immediate past President of the International Association of Constitutional Law.
• Zim Nwokora is an Associate Professor in Politics and Policy Studies at Deakin University, where he currently serves as Associate Head of School, International and Engagement in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. His research focuses on constitutions, political parties and political finance. Recent publications include Money, Parties and Democracy: Political Finance between Fat Cats and Big Government, coauthored with Matteo Bonotti and published by Oxford University Press (2025), and Constitutional Conventions: Theories, Practices and Dynamics, coauthored with Nicholas Barry, Narelle Miragliotta and Haig Patapan and published by Routledge (2025).
• William Partlett is an Associate Professor at Melbourne Law School, Co-Director of the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies, and Stephen Charles Fellow at the Centre for Public Integrity. He writes and teaches in the field of public law. Associate Professor Partlett’s research takes a historical and comparative approach to questions of public law. He is particularly interested in the role of constitutional structure in ensuring democratic governance.
• Rosalind Dixon (Chair) is Scientia Professor, ARC Future Fellow and Director of the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law at UNSW Sydney.