72Extension of date for making return

72 Extension of date for making return

(1)  A party agent, or official agent, who –

(a) is required under this Act to lodge an Assembly election campaign return in relation to an election; but

(b) is unable to lodge a complete Assembly election campaign return by the day (the due date) that is 60 days after the end of the election campaign period in relation to the election –

may, before the due date, request the Commission to extend the due date for lodging the Assembly election campaign return.

(2)  The Commission may, if satisfied that there is good cause to do so, extend the due date for the lodging, by a particular party agent or particular official agent, of the Assembly election campaign return to a day that the Commission considers appropriate in the circumstances.

(3)  The due date for lodging an Assembly election campaign return cannot be extended under this section by more than 30 days.

(4)  The Commission may, as a condition of extending the due date for the lodging, by a particular party agent or particular official agent, of an Assembly election campaign return, require the party agent or official agent to lodge an Assembly election campaign return containing disclosures that the party agent or official agent is able to make at a time specified by the Commission.

(5)  If the Commission extends the due date for the lodging, by a party agent or official agent, of an Assembly election campaign return in relation to a disclosure, the day by which, under this Act, the return is required to be lodged by the agent is to be taken to be the due date for lodgment as so extended.