High Court kicks off the year with a political donations battle
A challenge to Victoria’s political donation laws opens the High Court’s year — with more battles over political speech on the way.
The High Court gets down to business on Tuesday with a challenge to Victoria’s electoral funding laws — the first in a series of political communication cases for 2026.
A group of independents led by Werribee candidate Paul Hopper is arguing that the $4,850 cap on donations from any individual or entity over four years is unfair because of an exemption for “nominated entities”.
That exemption covers the fundraising arms of major political parties. Hopper argues it gives them an unfair advantage and infringes the implied freedom of political communication.
That same implied freedom will also be the battleground in a test case over the ban on social media use by under-16s, which could be heard in May.
