Compliance & Enforcement Activities

Referendum 2023: Summary of authorisation investigations

For the 2023 Referendum the following table summarises communications of referendum matter that did not comply with authorisation requirements in s 110C of the Referendum Act and/or the Authorisation Determination between 30 March and 31 October 2023. The table notes the persons or entities warned and the outcomes of those correspondence.

For information on other compliance and enforcement activities, see more.

Date of breach(es)	Entity	Communication type	Alleged breach	Outcome
9-May-23	Pauline Hanson's One Nation Senator	Website	Unauthorised PHON Shop	Resolved – authorisation added
15-May-23	Liberal Party of Australia Senator	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
18-May-23	Australian Labor Party MP	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
24-May-23	CPAC Network Australia	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
1-Jun-23	Yes23	Print	Unauthorised print media	Resolved – authorisation added
5-Jun-23	Rugby Australia	Social media	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – ceased distribution
27-Jun-23	Independent MP	Website	Unauthorised website	Resolved – authorisation added
19-Jul-23	Roobs Flyers	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation added
24-Jul-23	Australia First Party	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – ceased distribution
26-Jul-23	Advance Australia	Social media	Technical breach	Resolved – authorisations amended
2-Aug-23	The Australia Institute	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation added
14-Aug-23	Australian Council of Trade Unions	Social media	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation added
16-Aug-23	Individual elector	Other	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – referendum matter removed
22-Aug-23	QLD Unions	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation added
28-Aug-23	Please Say No (x3)	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – advertisement removed
29-Aug-23	United Workers Union	Print	Technical breach	Resolved – authorisation amended
1-Sep-23	United Australia Party Senator	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation added
1-Sep-23	Liberal National Party of Queensland MP	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – video removed
6-Sep-23	Central Land Council (x3)	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation added
6-Sep-23	ASIP Benalla	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation added
6-Sep-23	FreeMarketGarden Facebook page	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
7-Sep-23	Jasper Picture Company	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
7-Sep-23	Individual elector	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
8-Sep-23	UNICEF	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
8-Sep-23	Queensland Labor (State) MP	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – video removed
11-Sep-23	The Peoples Revolution	Printed	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation added
11-Sep-23	Individual elector	Printed material	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – referendum matter removed
12-Sep-23	Liberal Party of Australia MP	Social media	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation added
12-Sep-23	Individual Taxi	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation added
13-Sep-23	Advance Australia	Telephone	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – ceased distribution
18-Sep-23	Uluru Dialogue	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter.	Resolved – paid-for post removed
20-Sep-23	Maritime Unition of Australia	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
21-Sep-23	Individual elector	Printed	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation added
26-Sep-23	Individual elector	Printed	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – referendum matter removed
26-Sep-23	NSW Labor (State) MP	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
27-Sep-23	Independent MP	Social media	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved - Authorisation added/ paid-for post removed
27-Sep-23	Individual elector	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved - referendum matter removed
29-Sep-23	Uniting Church	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – sign removed
3-Oct-23	Yes23	Print	Technical breaches	Resolved – breaches rectified
4-Oct-23	Australian Labour Party – 16 MPs	Social media	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation rectified / posts removed
4-Oct-23	Uluru Dialogue	Electronic Billboard	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – authorisation added
5-Oct-23	St ****** Anglican Church	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – referendum matter removed
6-Oct-23	Together Yes	Print	Technical breaches	Resolved – authorisations rectified
9-Oct-23	Gold Coast for Yes	Social media	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
10-Oct-23	Yes23	Telephone	Technical breach	Resolved – authorisations rectified
10-Oct-23	Yes23	Telephone	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – ceased future distribution
11-Oct-23	Fred Hollows Foundation	Social media	Technical Breach	Resolved – breach rectified
11-Oct-23	Central Land Council	Social media	Unauthorised referendum matter and technical breaches	Resolved – breaches rectified
11-Oct-23	Irish for Yes	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matte	Resolved – breaches rectified
11-Oct-23	ANTAR	Social media	Technical Breach	Resolved – paid-for post removed/ authorisation rectified
11-Oct-23	Create Yes	Social media	Technical Breach	Resolved – paid-for post removed
12-Oct-23	F Yes	Social media	Technical Breach	Resolved – ceased distribution
13-Oct-23	Australian Labor Party MP	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved - paid-for post removed
13-Oct-23	Liberal Party of Australia MP	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved - paid-for post removed
13-Oct-23	Liberal National Party of Queensland MP	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
13-Oct-23	Liberal National Party of Queensland MP	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
14-Oct-23	Liberal Party	Social media	Unauthorised paid-for referendum matter	Resolved – paid-for post removed
14-Oct-23	Mineralogy	Print	Technical Breach	Resolved – ceased distribution
14-Oct-23	Individual elector (x2)	Print	Technical Breach	Resolved - referendum matter removed
14-Oct-23	Individual elector	Print	Unauthorised referendum matter	Resolved – referendum matter removed

Please note, a technical breach refers to where the authorisation particulars included details allowing members of the public to identify the person or entity communicating the referendum matter, but the authorisation was not compliant with the technical requirements of s 110C of the Referendum Act and the Determination. For example:

the address of the disclosure entity identified in the authorisation did not include the State or Territory or
the authorisation contained the particulars required under s 110C and the Determination but was not located at the end of the communication.

Updated: 18 September 2024

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Referendum 2023: Summary of authorisation investigations

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