146FDeposit payable in respect of bulk nomination schedule

1. If a secretary of a party lodges a bulk nomination schedule under section 146D, he or she must pay to the Electoral Commission, by noon on nomination day, a deposit of $300 (inclusive of goods and services tax) for every constituency candidate nominated in the bulk nomination schedule.

2. The deposit must be paid in 1 lump sum by direct credit to a bank account nominated by the Electoral Commission.

3. If an unsuccessful constituency candidate nominated in a bulk nomination schedule receives in total less than 5% of the total number of votes received by constituency candidates in the district for which the unsuccessful candidate was nominated, the amount of the deposit paid under subsection (1) in respect of that unsuccessful candidate is forfeit and must be paid into a Crown Bank Account.

4. After deducting any amounts forfeit under subsection (3), the Electoral Commission must return the remainder (if any) of the amount paid under subsection (1) to the party secretary, but only if the Electoral Commission has received from every constituency candidate nominated in the bulk nomination schedule duly completed returns under sections 205K and 209.