Australian Electoral Commission Clears Abbie Chatfield's Political Posts of Legal Breach

The AEC ruled that Chatfield's content with political leaders did not require authorisation, citing no monetary benefit or external control.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) concluded that Abbie Chatfield's social media posts featuring Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Greens leader Adam Bandt did not violate electoral laws.
The AEC found no evidence of monetary compensation for Chatfield or creative control exerted by the political leaders over the content.
The 'dominant purpose test' was applied, determining that Chatfield's content did not meet the criteria for requiring an authorisation statement under electoral regulations.
The decision highlights the growing role of social media influencers in political communication and voter engagement in Australia.
This ruling sets a precedent for how electoral laws apply to content creators, providing guidance on when authorisation is required for political content.