Allegra Spender, the independent MP for Wentworth, has raised concerns regarding the Australian Electoral Commission’s (AEC) decision not to disclose the identity of an individual responsible for distributing over 47,000 unauthorised pamphlets ahead of the federal election. The AEC became aware of the issue following complaints from residents who had received the misleading materials.
Although an investigation is ongoing, the AEC has determined that the responsible party acted independently and has confirmed their lack of affiliation with any political party or candidate in the Wentworth election. The AEC obtained a written assurance from this person, promising not to distribute further unauthorised electoral materials until after the election, set for May 3. The AEC has stated that it currently does not see the need for an injunction against the individual.
However, the AEC is contemplating potential legal actions and civil penalties, with decisions postponed until after the election. Spender expressed her dismay at the AEC’s lack of transparency regarding the offender’s identity and the postponement of legal proceedings, urging the commission to reconsider or clarify its stance. She highlighted that the pamphlet made false and defamatory claims about her, thus breaching Australian electoral laws concerning the authorisation of election materials.
The laws are intended to inform voters of the source of electoral communications, and Spender questioned the AEC’s rationale for withholding the identity of the person behind the distribution of such harmful content. She stressed the importance of transparency, arguing that voters have a right to know the sources of electoral messages.
This incident marks the second attack on Spender’s campaign, following reports of her campaign signs being vandalised. The AEC has encouraged voters to critically assess the origins of all information related to the federal election as the situation unfolds.