New authorisation requirements to strengthen transparency of electoral material
For immediate release
The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) has updated its determination for authorising electoral material, making it easier for voters to identify who is behind election-related material.
The updated determination, which is now in effect, follows the reinstatement of Part 12 of the Electoral Act 2002 (Vic) (the Act) and other recent changes to the Act. It provides clearer guidance about who must authorise electoral material and how they identify themselves.
Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel said the changes strengthen transparency and help voters understand who is responsible for electoral messaging.
'Authorisation requirements help ensure Victorians know who is responsible for electoral material,' Mr Bluemmel said.
'The updated determination provides clearer guidance for political participants and improves transparency by making it easier for voters to identify the people and organisations behind election-related communications.’
The revised determination reflects recent changes to electoral laws that now prescribes those that must include authorisation statements on their electoral material. This includes registered political parties, candidates and groups of candidates, elected members, associated entities, third party campaigners and certain donors required to provide disclosure returns.
These regulated entities must also now authorise electoral material in their own name, for example the name of the registered political party or candidate, making it easier to identity who produced the material.
The determination clarifies what is considered electoral material and electoral matter, including how the requirements apply to printed, digital and online communications.
There is no change to the requirement for electoral material to include a geographical address, typically a street address and locality or suburb. Under the Act, a post office box cannot be used in an authorisation statement.
The revised authorisation determination is part of a broader review of VEC published determinations following the reinstatement of Part 12 of the Act and other recent changes to the Act. Most updates ensure alignment with the current legislative framework and provide clearer guidance on the administration of electoral funding, disclosure, auditing and authorisation requirements.
Other published determinations include:
- claimable and non-claimable administrative expenditure for administrative expenditure funding
- VEC principles for determining policy development expenditure
- form of audit certificates for annual returns and other financial statements
- clarifications to display signage at voting centres.
The updated determinations take effect from the date they are made by the Electoral Commissioner. As a practical transitional measure, electoral material produced before Friday 21 August can continue to be used without being reprinted or amended to include the name of the entity responsible for the electoral material.
For more information visit vec.vic.gov.au