Overview

• 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.