UPDATE: The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has just announced that voters should be the ultimate judges of political advertising, including potential election lies. During a parliamentary hearing in Canberra on October 25, 2023, acting electoral commissioner Jeff Pope emphasized that the public is best equipped to assess misleading campaign materials.
This statement comes amid increasing pressure from politicians and advocacy groups pushing for laws to ban false or misleading advertisements during election campaigns. However, Pope asserted that the AEC does not want to become the “arbiters of truth,” warning that such a role could lead to perceptions of bias. “The voters are the ones that will make up their minds about party worker behaviour and campaign materials,” he stated.
The AEC currently oversees the requirement for authorization on all campaign ads, ensuring voters know who is funding them. However, it lacks the authority to regulate the content of these advertisements. Pope expressed a need for expanded powers, particularly in the realm of social media, where the influence of online platforms has surged during elections.
During the 2025 campaign, the AEC reviewed 2,736 posts on social media, identifying 1,020 breaches of the electoral act. Pope highlighted the increasing difficulty in managing online communications and urged parliament to consider laws that would grant the AEC more authority to tackle improperly authorized campaign materials.
“We ought to be able to do more in those very, very busy times of pre-poll and polling day to address some of these concerns,” Pope added, illustrating the urgency of the situation as Australia approaches crucial election dates.
As the debate continues, voters are encouraged to remain vigilant and critical of the information they encounter during upcoming campaigns, with the AEC underscoring the importance of informed decision-making in the electoral process.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
