Australia: Advertising loophole means homosexual plebiscite campaign ads won’t be factually correct
PUBLICLY funded advertising promoting each side of the proposed same-sex marriage plebiscite will not be bound by regular advertising standards requiring truth and accuracy, news.com.au understands. A spokeswoman for the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) told news.com.au communications promoting each camp’s messages will be classed as political advertising , and therefore will not be monitored by the industry body. If the campaigns were to be classed as political advertising, there would be no legal requirement for content of the ads to be factually correct , only that they be properly authorised as outlined in the Broadcasting Services Act. That means, when a TV or radio station runs “political matter”, it must be immediately followed by authorisation by the person responsible for approving the content and deciding it be broadcast. Though the authorisation itself — the quickly spoken message usually also written across a blank screen at the end of political campaign ads — must