Upper Hunter political donors gave $46,588 ahead of 2023 NSW election

There were 37 donations made, which averaged out to $1259.15 each.

The amount in donations made from the Upper Hunter electorate is less than those made from Cessnock ($71,174.04 from 27 donations), and Newcastle ($69,216.54 from 64 donations), but more than Maitland ($19,818.04 from 31 donations).

Donors included Singleton Hunting Club which donated $5000 to the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party, Martins Stock Haulage which donated $5000 to the National Party, Supply Solutions Group which donated $7000 to the National Party and NATIK Solutions which donated $3,300 to Labor candidate Peree Watson.

In other news:

The NSW Electoral Commission announced more than $6.5 million in pre-election donations were disclosed for the 2023 NSW election.

Under the Electoral Funding Act 2018, the NSW Electoral Commission is required to publish these disclosures as soon as practicable.

The commission records donation locations to the electoral district where the individual donor was enrolled, or where the business/entity donor offices were located.

This does not necessarily mean the donor was donating to a candidate or party in their electorate.

As part of the NSW electoral funding, expenditure and disclosure legislative scheme, all reportable political donations of $1000 or more, made or received in the lead-up to the 2023 NSW State election (from October 1, 2022 to March 25, 2023), were required to be disclosed to the Electoral Commission within 21 days and published on the NSW Electoral Commission's website.

This includes multiple donations made by the same donor to the same recipient that combined are valued at $1000 or more in one financial year.

Pre-election period donation disclosures must be made by elected members, candidates, groups, political parties, third-party campaigners and associated entities but not by major political donors.

Major political donors will be required to submit an annual donor disclosure by August 11, 2023.

Political donations are capped in NSW and the caps are adjusted for inflation annually.

The caps that applied at the 2023 NSW State election were $3,300 for donations made to candidates, elected members, third-party candidates, unregistered parties, parties registered for less than 12 months, and associated entities; and $7,000 for donations made to registered parties and groups of candidates.

It is an offence for a political party, elected member, candidate, group, associated entity, or third-party campaigner to accept a political donation that exceeds the applicable donation cap.

Indirect campaign contributions that exceed these amounts are also prohibited.