This bill did not become law and is no longer proceeding.
Transport & communications
Federal election and referendumA national vote on a proposed change to the Constitution, which this bill would also cover for misleading ads and digital disclosure rules. ads could face civil penalties if they include materially misleadingThe legal threshold used in the bill for statements or depictions that are wrong in a way serious enough to likely mislead voters about a campaign message. claims or deepfakeA fake image, video or audio clip made with digital tools to look real, which the bill treats as a major risk in election campaigning.-style content presented as fact, aiming to curb false campaign material before people vote.
AISoftware that can generate or alter text, images, audio or video, which matters here because the bill would require political material made this way to say so. deepfakes, misinformation and disinformation exposed a gap that could distort voters’ choices with materially misleadingThe legal threshold used in the bill for statements or depictions that are wrong in a way serious enough to likely mislead voters about a campaign message. election and referendumA national vote on a proposed change to the Constitution, which this bill would also cover for misleading ads and digital disclosure rules. ads. This bill creates civil penalties for false campaign material, requires disclosure of digitally altered content, and lets an AECThe federal agency that runs elections and referendums and would house the new complaints panel in this bill. panel investigate complaints.
Before this bill, federal election and referendumA national vote on a proposed change to the Constitution, which this bill would also cover for misleading ads and digital disclosure rules. rules did not impose a dedicated civil penaltyA financial penalty ordered through law rather than a criminal conviction, used here to punish misleading electoral or referendum material. regime for materially misleadingThe legal threshold used in the bill for statements or depictions that are wrong in a way serious enough to likely mislead voters about a campaign message. campaign claims or require warnings when political material had been digitally created or altered. As concern grew that AISoftware that can generate or alter text, images, audio or video, which matters here because the bill would require political material made this way to say so. deepfakes and other false campaign material could distort voters’ choices, the government introduced this bill on 18 November 2024 to create an AECThe federal agency that runs elections and referendums and would house the new complaints panel in this bill. enforcement panel, add disclosure rules and remove the late blackout on broadcast election advertising, but it lapsed when Parliament was dissolved on 28 March 2025.
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far, beyond the ordinary implementation risk of applying new truth-in-advertising and AISoftware that can generate or alter text, images, audio or video, which matters here because the bill would require political material made this way to say so. disclosure rules fairly during fast-moving campaigns. The material here shows support from a government speaker, and no party represented in the debate publicly available sources is recorded as opposing the bill.
Patrick Gorman MP introduced this bill. Speeches supporting it came from Labor.
Did it become law?
No
The bill did not complete passage through Parliament.
Final passage
Did not pass
2 recorded votes before the bill stopped proceeding
Time before failure
130 days
From introduction to the final recorded step before the bill stopped proceeding
Meaning
Federal election and referendumA national vote on a proposed change to the Constitution, which this bill would also cover for misleading ads and digital disclosure rules. ads could face civil penalties if they include materially misleadingThe legal threshold used in the bill for statements or depictions that are wrong in a way serious enough to likely mislead voters about a campaign message. claims or deepfakeA fake image, video or audio clip made with digital tools to look real, which the bill treats as a major risk in election campaigning.-style content presented as fact, aiming to curb false campaign material before people vote.
Election ads, pamphlets and how-to-vote cards would be covered, but opinions, satire, art, education, news reporting, private messages and parliamentary communications would stay outside these new rules.
Campaign material substantially created or altered with digital technology, including AISoftware that can generate or alter text, images, audio or video, which matters here because the bill would require political material made this way to say so., would have to say so, giving voters clearer warning when political content has been digitally produced or changed.
A new Electoral Communications PanelThe proposed decision-maker inside the Australian Electoral Commission that would investigate complaints about misleading campaign material and decide what happens next. inside the Australian Electoral CommissionThe federal agency that runs elections and referendums and would house the new complaints panel in this bill. would investigate complaints and make decisions, with its rulings open to court review and enforcement through the Federal CourtThe court that could enforce panel decisions if a campaign does not comply with a request to correct, retract or remove material..
Television and radio broadcasters would no longer be banned from running election or referendumA national vote on a proposed change to the Constitution, which this bill would also cover for misleading ads and digital disclosure rules. advertising in the final three days before voting day and on voting day itself.
This Bill makes amendments to the Electoral Act and Referendum Act to prevent the distortion of electoral choice by inaccurate and misleading electoral matter. The Bill establishes new civil penalty provisions to prohibit authorising certain electoral and referendum matter that is inaccurate and misleading to a material extent, including material that has been modified using technology such as ‘deepfakes’.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Communications) explanatory memorandum
Election advertisements and certain promotional materials like pamphlets and how-to-vote cards will be subject to the new civil penalty provisions. There are a number of exceptions to the provisions to protect genuine political debate and expression including, statements of opinion; academic, educative, satirical or artistic communications; professional news media and private or parliamentary communications.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Communications) explanatory memorandum
The Bill will also require electoral matter and referendum matter that has been substantially or entirely created or modified using digital technology (including AI) to carry a statement to that effect.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Communications) explanatory memorandum
The Bill also amends the Electoral Act to establish a Panel as a secondary statutory structure within the AEC, for the purpose of administering the civil penalty provisions in Division 2. The Panel's decisions are subject to judicial review and are enforceable by the Federal Court of Australia.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Communications) explanatory memorandum
This bill will remove the media blackout period that prohibits electoral or referendum matter being broadcast on television or radio in the three days before, and on, voting day.Minister's second reading speech
Context
Before this bill, federal election and referendumA national vote on a proposed change to the Constitution, which this bill would also cover for misleading ads and digital disclosure rules. rules did not impose a dedicated civil penaltyA financial penalty ordered through law rather than a criminal conviction, used here to punish misleading electoral or referendum material. regime for materially misleadingThe legal threshold used in the bill for statements or depictions that are wrong in a way serious enough to likely mislead voters about a campaign message. campaign claims or require warnings when political material had been digitally created or altered. As concern grew that AISoftware that can generate or alter text, images, audio or video, which matters here because the bill would require political material made this way to say so. deepfakes and other false campaign material could distort voters’ choices, the government introduced this bill on 18 November 2024 to create an AECThe federal agency that runs elections and referendums and would house the new complaints panel in this bill. enforcement panel, add disclosure rules and remove the late blackout on broadcast election advertising, but it lapsed when Parliament was dissolved on 28 March 2025.
Government says AISoftware that can generate or alter text, images, audio or video, which matters here because the bill would require political material made this way to say so. deepfakes and false campaign ads are threatening trust in elections
In the second reading speech, the government said democracies were facing growing threats to public trust and presented the bill as a response to misleading and digitally altered electoral communications.
Hansard ↗Bill introduced to create truth-in-advertising and digital disclosure rules
The bill was introduced to add civil penalties for materially misleadingThe legal threshold used in the bill for statements or depictions that are wrong in a way serious enough to likely mislead voters about a campaign message. electoral and referendumA national vote on a proposed change to the Constitution, which this bill would also cover for misleading ads and digital disclosure rules. ads, require disclosure of digitally created or altered content and set up an Electoral Communications PanelThe proposed decision-maker inside the Australian Electoral Commission that would investigate complaints about misleading campaign material and decide what happens next. inside the AECThe federal agency that runs elections and referendums and would house the new complaints panel in this bill..
Parliamentary timeline ↗Bill also proposes ending the final broadcast advertising blackout
The explanatory material shows the bill would also repeal the ban on television and radio election or referendumA national vote on a proposed change to the Constitution, which this bill would also cover for misleading ads and digital disclosure rules. advertising in the final three days before polling day and on polling day itself.
Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Communications) explanatory memorandum ↗Bill lapses when Parliament is dissolved
The proposed new rules did not take effect because the bill lapsed at dissolution before it could complete its parliamentary passage.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Considered by scrutiny committee (27/11/2024): Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Scrutiny Digest 15 of 2024
Considered by scrutiny committee
APH bill page notesConsidered by scrutiny committee (27/11/2024): Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights; Report 1 of 2025
Considered by scrutiny committee
APH bill page notesThe bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Key criticism
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far, beyond the ordinary implementation risk of applying new truth-in-advertising and AISoftware that can generate or alter text, images, audio or video, which matters here because the bill would require political material made this way to say so. disclosure rules fairly during fast-moving campaigns. The material here shows support from a government speaker, and no party represented in the debate publicly available sources is recorded as opposing the bill.
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far.
Votes
Recorded amendment and procedural votes grouped by chamber. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.
House
Defeated 14 to 50. Support came from Greens and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
If carried, the bill would have been referred for inquiry before proceeding further. The motion was defeated, so the bill did not go to committee on this vote.
Senate
Defeated 18 to 38. Support came from Greens, Australia's Voice, One Nation, UAP, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
A successful vote would have sent the bill to committee for further inquiry before any later debate or decision. The motion was defeated, so the referral did not proceed.
This list includes amendment votes, procedural votes and votes on the bill itself.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Gorman supports the bill, saying it strengthens electoral transparency by adding truth-in-advertising rules, AISoftware that can generate or alter text, images, audio or video, which matters here because the bill would require political material made this way to say so. disclosure requirements, and penalties for misleading campaign material.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
1 speaker · 1 support
“This bill implements recommendations of the multipartisan Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters (JSCEM) to introduce truth-in-advertising legislation modelled on the existing laws in South Australia. It also delivers on the government's commitment to improving the transparency and accountability of our electoral system.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
House · Lapsed at dissolution
Lapsed at dissolution
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills
Considered by scrutiny committee
Considered by scrutiny committee (27 Nov 2024): Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Scrutiny Digest 15 of 2024
APH bill page notesParliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights
Considered by scrutiny committee
Considered by scrutiny committee (27 Nov 2024): Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights; Report 1 of 2025
APH bill page notes
