Why Dave Hughes is no longer taking centre stage at Liberal campaign events

Comedian Dave Hughes will no longer appear at Victorian Liberal events and fundraisers as an entertainer or guest speaker after the party told him it would breach the state’s political donation laws.

Hughes headlined the Liberal Party’s Western Victoria region campaign launch in Geelong on August 16, a free, private event authorised by the party’s state executive, and was pictured in advertising material alongside Opposition Leader Jess Wilson.

He also appeared at an “intimate dinner” on September 10 with the party’s Bentleigh candidate Tynan Putt, which was ticketed at $2500 per person, and a “Pub Talk” alongside the Liberal candidate for Williamstown Paul Lindemann on September 16.

Victoria’s campaign financing laws consider the “provision of a service” as an in-kind donation and subject to the same regulations as a monetary payment. There is a carve out for “volunteer labour”, but this largely applies to standard campaign tasks like handing out how-to-vote cards and doorknocking.

Because Hughes is a professional entertainer, who lent his particular brand of comedy to the events, it went beyond the duties of regular political volunteers, meaning it would be characterised as a “provision of a service” and not “volunteer labour”.

The comedian said the Liberal Party had informed him he could no longer entertain attendees at party functions because of donation restrictions.

“It means I can’t talk at Liberal events,” he told The Age on Tuesday morning.

Hughes, a lifelong Labor voter, has become a prolific critic of the state government because of concerns over corruption and high taxes.

Had Hughes accepted payment from the Liberal Party for his appearances, the work would not have constituted a donation and the agreement could continue. But he said he refused to accept money from any political organisation so he could remain autonomous.

“The problem here is that because I refuse to take money off them, I won’t be at their events. But I refuse to take money off them because I don’t want to be beholden to them.”

There is precedent for entertainers disclosing unpaid work carried out for political parties. Comedian Tom Ballard, a long-time Greens member, appeared at a comedy night and fundraiser hosted by the party in March.

Ballard disclosed his appearance on the Victorian Electoral Commission register as a service provided to the Greens, and valued his unpaid work equivalent to a $1200 cash donation.

A complaint submitted to the VEC on August 21 by a Labor Party supporter requested the regulator investigate whether Hughes’ appearances at Liberal Party events constituted an in-kind political donation.

It is not clear whether the Liberal Party were cautioned by the VEC over Hughes’ appearances, or if they decided to cease the arrangement due to donation concerns independently.

A Liberal Party spokesperson said it “operates in compliance with the requirements of the electoral act”.

The complaint, seen by The Age, said Hughes’ prominent billing on Liberal advertising material for the events was evidence the comedian was providing a professional service standard volunteers could not fulfil.

It also alleged Hughes’ unpaid work would have amounted to a sum that would have breached the donation cap of $5190.

Following queries from The Age, Hughes posted on X and wrongly accused the Victorian Labor Party of making the complaint. In the post, Hughes said the complaint was “apparently” made because the fee he would normally charge for similar speaking appearances would have exceeded the state’s donation cap.

Hughes said the decision for someone to report him to the VEC was “pathetic”.

He said his appearances at Liberal Party fundraisers were not “stand-up gigs” but there were plenty of opportunities for political comedy at the events.

This includes a joke about the $10 billion West Gate Tunnel which Labor opened in December last year, but has not been used by motorists at the rate the government anticipated.

“People say that the West Gate Tunnel is empty because it’s not good value for money,” Hughes begins.

“But I’m like: ‘It’s great value. For $15 you get a whole tunnel to yourself!’”

The official toll rate for using the tunnel heading inbound during the morning peak is $4.22 for a car.

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