Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Voter Protections in Political Advertising) 2023

# Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Voter Protections in Political Advertising) Bill 2023 ## What it does This bill creates new rules to stop misleading and deceptive political advertising during elections and referendums. It adds a new section to the electoral law that defines what counts as false political advertising and sets up protections against it. ## Why it matters Political ads shape how Australians vote, but currently there's limited legal protection against misleading claims in campaigning. This bill aims to close that gap by giving the electoral system tools to crack down on dishonest advertising before votes are cast. ## Key details - **Covers referendums too**: The rules apply not just to election campaigns but also to referendum campaigns (like votes on constitutional changes) - **Broad definition of "publish"**: Political ads spread through any medium count—social media, TV, radio, print, even text messages - **Comes into effect 28 days after passing**: Once the bill gets Royal Assent, it takes effect less than a month later - **"Dominant purpose" test**: An ad only counts as political advertising if its main goal is influencing how people vote—educational posts about policy alone wouldn't trigger the rules