News

28 July 2024

Zali Steggall MP and Senator David Pocock have called on the Albanese Government to urgently reintroduce its lapsed Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Communications) Bill 2024, or if not, to support new private members and senators legislation they will introduce in both chambers, substantively replicating the Government’s own Bill.

The pair wrote to Special Minister of State Don Farrell last week to make the request given the lack of safeguards against misleading or deceptive political advertising, including the growing risks posed by AI content and deepfakes.

Zali Steggall MP, who will introduce the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Communications) Bill 2025 to the House today said: “The Government chose to prioritise increasing public funding for political parties last term while leaving its truth in political advertising bill on the shelf. But the legislation is ready to go - there is no excuse not to act now.

“Voters deserve the same protections from misleading claims in political advertising as they do when buying consumer products or services. With deepfakes and AI generated misinformation able to spread like wildfire, it’s more urgent to stop the lies in political advertising.  

ACT Independent Senator David Pocock, will also place a notice of Motion to the Senate giving notice to introduce the same bill.

 “Politicians shouldn’t be allowed to lie in political advertising. The major parties need to have some integrity and bring our electoral laws into line with community expectations,” Senator Pocock said.

“Elections should be a contest of ideas, not scare campaign competition about who can tell the most convincing falsehoods.”

Following the 2022 election, the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters recommended legislative reform to govern truth in political advertising, drawing on the model under South Australia’s Electoral Act 1985. While the Government did introduce the Electoral Communications Bill, the Bill lapsed with the dissolution of the 47th Parliament.

The new Bill would prohibit political advertising that is materially misleading or deceptive, empower the Australian Electoral Commission to receive complaints, and allow for enforcement measures including retractions or removals.

Ms Steggall and Senator Pocock have indicated they would welcome a meeting with Minister Farrell to discuss the Government’s intentions for progressing these reforms in this new term of parliament.

Zali Steggall MP has previously introduced a number of private members bills to strengthen voter protections and prohibit misleading political advertising, most recently the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Voter Protections in Political Advertising) Bill 2023.

Last term Senator Pocock introduced the Fair and Transparent Elections Bill, which also included truth in political advertising provisions. He also instigated a petition calling to ban AI in elections.

Kate Chaney MP will second Zali Steggall’s Bill today and has also pushed for electoral reforms with her Fair and Transparent Elections Bill. She said: “Politicians need to be subject to the same standards as companies selling consumer goods and services.  The Government responded to the JSCEM recommendations that suited the major parties, but not the recommendations that make them more accountable.  Australians are sick of the lies. With rapid changes in AI and the growing sophistication of deep fakes, the need to rebuild trust is greater than ever.”

“We are offering the Government a clear path forward—either reintroduce your own bill, or support ours. The choice is yours, but the time to act is now,” Steggall said.

“We must ensure these safeguards are in place long before the next election campaign begins,” Pocock added.

Ends