Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Voter Protections in Political Advertising) Bill 2026: Zali Steggall's private member's bill explained

The short answer

Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Voter Protections in Political Advertising) Bill 2026: Zali Steggall's private member's bill explained

The Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Voter Protections in Political Advertising) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced in the House of Representatives by Zali Steggall MP, the independent member for Warringah. According to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, the bill amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to prohibit misleading or deceptive electoral or referendum matter, and amends the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 to impose additional transparency and standards requirements in relation to political advertising. It was introduced and read a first time on 22 June 2026, with the second reading moved the same day. As at 10 August 2026, the bill is before the House of Representatives and has not been passed or enacted. As a private member's bill (not a government bill), whether it proceeds to a vote would depend on government allocation of debate time and whether it attracts crossbench support.

This is a federal system guide. State constitutions, parliaments and local-government laws can allocate comparable functions differently.

The useful question is not only “what is the rule?” but also “who administers it, which document controls it, and when might it change?” That distinction prevents an accurate general explanation from becoming wrong advice in a particular election, chamber or policy setting.

Evidence review

What the bill proposes

The Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Voter Protections in Political Advertising) Bill 2026 proposes to amend the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 — the principal Act governing federal elections and referendums in Australia — and the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984. The official summary on the Parliament bill page states that the bill amends the Electoral Act 1918 to prohibit misleading or deceptive electoral or referendum matter, and amends the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 to impose additional transparency and standards requirements in relation to political advertising.

The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 already contains various provisions regulating electoral communications. These include the requirement for electoral advertisements to carry authorisation statements (identifying who authorised the communication) and blackout periods for broadcast advertising in the final days of an election campaign. At the Commonwealth level, however, there is currently no general prohibition on misleading or deceptive political advertising. The bill would introduce one, along with new transparency and standards requirements for political advertising under the referendum machinery legislation. These measures would take effect only if the bill is enacted.

As a private member's bill, the precise provisions are those drafted by or on behalf of Ms Steggall as the sponsoring member, rather than being drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel on instructions from a minister as part of the government's legislative program.

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The sponsor: Zali Steggall MP

Zali Steggall is the independent member for Warringah in New South Wales. She was first elected to the House of Representatives at the 2019 federal election. Ms Steggall has been a prominent advocate for integrity in politics, having previously introduced private member's bills on topics including a federal integrity commission (before the National Anti-Corruption Commission was established) and climate change.

Private members' bills are introduced by members of parliament who are not ministers. They provide a mechanism for non-government members to put legislative proposals before the Parliament. However, private members' bills face significant hurdles: they are rarely debated or voted on unless the government allocates time for their consideration, and they generally do not pass without government support. The introduction of a private member's bill is often as much about raising the profile of an issue as it is about achieving legislative change.

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Political advertising regulation in Australia

The regulation of political advertising at the Commonwealth level in Australia is less comprehensive than in some comparable democracies. The key existing requirements under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 include: authorisation requirements — electoral communications must include the name and address of the person who authorised them; and broadcast blackout periods — political advertising is prohibited on television and radio from the end of the Wednesday before polling day until the close of the poll.

Unlike in some jurisdictions, the Commonwealth Electoral Act does not currently contain a general prohibition on misleading or deceptive electoral matter or 'truth in political advertising' provisions. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) does not have a role in assessing the truth or accuracy of political advertising claims. The High Court has held that the constitutional implied freedom of political communication constrains the extent to which Parliament may regulate the content of political communications. Under the bill, the prohibition on misleading or deceptive electoral or referendum matter would sit inside this constitutional framework, and the additional transparency and standards requirements for political advertising would be imposed through the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984.

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Constitutional considerations

Any legislative proposal to regulate political advertising must navigate the constitutional framework established by the High Court in cases concerning the implied freedom of political communication. The implied freedom, derived from the system of representative government established by the Constitution, operates as a limit on legislative power: a law that burdens political communication will be invalid unless it is reasonably appropriate and adapted to serve a legitimate purpose compatible with the system of representative government.

The scope of permissible regulation of political advertising has been a live issue in Australian constitutional law. The High Court has struck down some state-based truth-in-advertising laws in the past, and any Commonwealth law seeking to regulate political advertising content — including a prohibition on misleading or deceptive electoral matter — would need to be carefully calibrated to survive constitutional challenge.

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Parliamentary status and next steps

The bill was introduced and read a first time in the House of Representatives on 22 June 2026, and the second reading was moved the same day. The second reading speech — the member's opportunity to explain the purpose and principles of the bill — was delivered as an introductory speech. As at 10 August 2026 the bill is before the House.

For the bill to progress, the government would need to allocate time for debate on the second reading. Private members' bills are listed on the Notice Paper but the government controls the legislative program of the House. If debated, the bill would need to pass the House of Representatives (second reading and third reading) and then pass the Senate before receiving Royal Assent.

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Who would be affected

The bill would affect political parties, candidates, and third-party campaigners who engage in political advertising during federal election periods or at other times. It would also affect media organisations, digital platforms, and other publishers that carry political advertising, as they would need to comply with any new requirements relating to the authorisation, content, or disclosure of political advertisements.

The Australian Electoral Commission would be the regulator with responsibility for administering any new requirements. The AEC would potentially need to develop new guidance, forms, and compliance processes to support the new framework. Voters would be the intended beneficiaries of any new protections introduced by the bill.

Common questions

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