Central governmentAgencyExists today
Australian Electoral Commission
AEC
21 February 1984 – present
Independent statutory authority that conducts federal elections, by-elections and referendums, maintains the Commonwealth electoral roll and administers party registration and election funding and disclosure.
How it came into existence
Established on 21 February 1984 under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, as amended by the Commonwealth Electoral Legislation Amendment Act 1983, replacing the Australian Electoral Office with an independent commission headed by an Electoral Commissioner.
- Conduct of federal elections and referendums
- Maintenance of the electoral roll
Legislation: Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918; Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984
Changes during its life
- 24 July 1987Moved to the Administrative Services portfolio on the abolition of the Department of the Special Minister of State.
- 9 October 1997Moved to the Finance and Administration portfolio on the abolition of the Department of Administrative Services.
Main functions
- Conduct of federal elections, by-elections and referendums
- Maintenance of the Commonwealth electoral roll
- Registration of political parties
- Election funding and financial disclosure
- Support for electoral redistributions
- Industrial and fee-for-service elections
- Electoral education
Where it sits
In the portfolio of Department of Finance.
- Type of body
- Non-corporate Commonwealth entity
- Portfolio
- Finance
- Accountable authority
- Electoral Commissioner – Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 section 6(2A)(b)
- ABN
- 21 133 285 851
Lineage
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Sources
Primary sources
- List of Commonwealth entities and companies under the PGPA Act, 1 July 2026 (Department of Finance)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 11 December 2014 to the latest release (30 June 2026))