Campaigners' use of roadside galleries of political candidates will face a fresh challenge after an ACT election review recommended even tighter restrictions on election corflutes.
A tripartisan parliamentary committee has recommended far tighter restrictions on ACT election corflutes and a smaller exclusion zone around polling places to make it easier for campaigners to engage with voters.
The government should also consider new laws to ban campaigns from using the likeness or names of their opponents without their consent to combat the kinds of misrepresentation made easier with artificial intelligence tools, the inquiry recommended.
Elections ACT had warned it would be mostly powerless to act against deepfake videos made using artificial intelligence in which candidates appeared to make false statements.
The independent electoral commission said the 2024 territory election had not been significantly affected by artificial intelligence technology, but recommended the Legislative Assembly review how AI-generated deepfake content should be regulated before the next poll in 2028.
Candidates would only be allowed to have six signs within 50 metres of each polling place and their display would be limited to the early voting period and election day, if the committee's recommendation is adopted.
"The committee considers that providing very limited zones and strict restrictions on numbers of signs for roadside electoral advertising would provide adequate opportunity for promotion of candidates while improving candidate and volunteer safety and reducing 'visual clutter', environmental impact, and driver distraction. Such zones and limits would also be practical to enforce," the committee examining the 2024 ACT election said.
After the 2020 election, a parliamentary committee recommended an outright ban on erecting corflutes on public land in the ACT, but the government warned this would interfere with the Australian constitution's implied right to freedom of political communication.
Electoral laws were changed before the 2024 election to limit candidates to 250 corflutes each and to ban foreign donations.
The Legislative Assembly's Integrity Commission and statutory office holders standing committee made five recommendations after considering the last territory election.
"The territory is fortunate to have a well-functioning, independent electoral commission to conduct its elections, and a generally well-informed and engaged electorate," the committee's report said.
"While there are always improvements to systems and processes that could be made, the Committee is pleased to see that the organisation, running and oversight of elections in the ACT are in good health."
Elections ACT's report on the 2024 election estimated the commission spent $9.5 million on the 2024 election, including $2.58 million on public funding for eligible parties and candidates. The $6.9 million bill for the election, excluding public funding, was equivalent to $24.92 a vote.
Former Greens leader Shane Rattenbury backed an end to the 100-metre exclusion zone around ACT polling places just after the 2024 election, with the election review inquiry now taking the same view.
"The committee considers that the safety of people at polling locations at ACT elections is likely to be consistent with federal elections, and that the much larger exclusion zone for canvassing for ACT elections is not justified, especially in light of the disadvantages of the larger zone," the committee's report said.
