Real-time political donations for state government candidates and political parties will be online next month - but there is a catch.
From March 1 every donation of $1000 or more will need to be declared and it will be available to search by party, electorate, donor, election or date.
![Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with Peter Wellington in 2015, when the Speaker urged a commitment to transparency and ...](/web/20170226031930im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/1/m/6/l/h/q/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gujcom.png/1487820481845.jpg)
But rather than being instantly uploaded, the donations will need to be reported within seven business days.
The website is hosted on the Electoral Commission of Queensland website.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said when she formed government in 2015, it was critical to independent Speaker Peter Wellington for a commitment to transparency and accountability.
Mr Wellington also hinted that there was "more good legislation in the pipeline", in relation to whether this was his signature legislation before retiring at the next election, but would not be drawn on the details.
"I'm aware of other legislation that's in the pipeline that will be great for Queensland," he said.
Ms Palaszczuk said the public should know who was donating to which political party before an election was held.
"There were secret donations being made in this state," she said.
"This is about integrity in government, no more secret donations, all up online and the important thing about this reform is that the public gets to see it."
Ms Palaszczuk said seven days was necessary because some people still sent cheques.
"So the electoral commission needs to look at that, verify the cheques or the statement and then put it up," she said.
Ms Palaszczuk said the reform was an Australian-first and should be rolled out nationally.
"Maybe they haven't had the guts to do it," she said.
Mr Wellington said it was a "historic day".
"Never again will donors be able to quietly make donations," he said.
"Significant donations have been made to campaigns and those donors were never identifiable until after the election.
"People need to know who is behind the candidates, who is behind financing the various political parties, there should be no need for secrecy.
"I think it will help reduce the prospects of corruption."
Mr Wellington also called for the $12,800 donation threshold for federal politicians to be reduced.
In 2015, the Palaszczuk government's first bill decreased the Queensland donation disclosure threshold from $12,800 to $1000.
By the end of March, political parties are also required to have submitted their six-monthly returns.
Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath said it was likely there would be errors in the information from previous elections which was also available online.
"To be honest, there is likely to be errors in past historic data, that is the problem with the paper-based system," Ms D'Ath said.
"From today, people will be able to go online onto the Electoral Commission of Queensland's website and have a look at prior donations made.
"There is historical data there in relation to previous elections, both state, local government and by-elections."
Ms D'Ath said the donations would not just be visible from the time an election was called, but from February 2015: "That is the election period."
She said people would not be able to hide behind several small donations, as if the cumulative total exceeded $1000 it would be reported.
Shadow Treasurer Scott Emerson said there was a "very big loophole" in the system, alleging the unions could donate to Labor six days out from an election.
"We know that Labor and the unions will do a secret deal, that they'll do a nod and the wink before an election and only give the money six days before," Mr Emerson said.
"The concern I have is they'll try to rort the system."
Mr Emerson would not say if he would prefer the donations were actually real-time rather than with a seven day lag, saying the LNP would "abide by" the new rules.
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