This section summarises the rules for publishing and broadcasting election and referendum advertisements. Read the full rules for advertising and campaigning on pages 5 to 10, and election broadcasting on pages 11 to 14.
Candidate-initiated advertising
Advertisements that electorate candidates initiate need to include a promoter statement with the candidate’s name and address. Learn more about promoter statements on pages 7 and 8.
Broadcast advertising
The table below summarises the rules for broadcasting candidates’ election or referendum advertisements on TV and radio.
| Advertisement content | When broadcasts allowed | Needs authorisation from |
| Promoting party, candidate and party, or attacking another party or candidate | Not allowed | Not applicable |
| Promoting electorate candidate only | From 13 September to 16 October | Electorate candidate |
| Promoting or attacking a referendum option | From 13 September to 16 October | Electorate candidate |
Non-broadcast advertising
The table below summarises the rules for candidates’ election advertisements in other mediums, such as newspapers, billboards and online advertising.
| Advertisement content | When advertising allowed | Needs authorisation from |
| Promoting party or attacking party or candidate | Anytime except election day Counts as an election expense from 18 August to 16 October |
Party secretary |
| Promoting electorate candidate | Anytime except election day Counts as an election expense from 18 August to 16 October |
Electorate candidate |
| Promoting both electorate candidate and party | Anytime except election day Counts as an election expense from 18 August to 16 October |
Party secretary and electorate candidate |
| Promoting or attacking a referendum option | Anytime except election day Counts as both an election and referendum expense |
Not applicable |
Party-initiated advertising
Advertisements that parties initiate need to include a promoter statement with the party secretary’s name and address. Learn more about promoter statements on pages 7 and 8.
Advertising on TV and radio using the broadcasting allocation
The table below summarises the rules for broadcasting election advertisements that parties have paid for with the broadcasting allocation.
| Advertisement content | When broadcasts allowed | Needs authorisation from |
| Promoting party or attacking party or candidate | From 13 September to 16 October | Party secretary |
| Promoting electorate candidate only | From 13 September to 16 October | Electorate candidate |
| Promoting both electorate candidate and party | From 13 September to 16 October | Party secretary and electorate candidate |
| Promoting or attacking a referendum option | From 13 September to 16 October | Party secretary |
Advertising on the internet using the broadcasting allocation
The table below summarises the rules for parties using the broadcasting allocation to fund placement costs of internet election advertisements.
| Advertisement content | When advertising allowed | Needs authorisation from |
| Promoting party or attacking party or candidate | From 13 September to 16 October | Party secretary |
| Promoting electorate candidate | From 13 September to 16 October | Electorate candidate |
| Promoting both electorate candidate and party | From 13 September to 16 October | Both party secretary and electorate candidate |
| Promoting or attacking a referendum option | From 13 September to 16 October | Party secretary |
The broadcasting allocation can also be used for production costs for internet advertising placed at any time as long as that advertising is also placed in the period 13 September to 16 October.
Advertising by parties on TV and radio using private funding
The table below summarises the rules for party initiated broadcasting election advertisements that parties have paid for with private funding.
| Advertisement content | When broadcasts allowed | Needs authorisation from |
| Promoting party, candidate and party, or referendum option | Not allowed | Not applicable |
| Attacking party, candidate or referendum option | Not allowed | Not applicable |
Non-broadcast advertising using private funding
The table below summarises the rules for publishing non-broadcast election advertisements that parties have paid for with private funding.
| Advertisement content | When advertising allowed | Needs authorisation from |
| Promoting party vote or attacking party or candidate | Anytime except election day Counts as an election expense from 18 August to 16 October |
Party secretary |
| Promoting electorate candidate | Anytime except election day Counts as an election expense from 18 August to 16 October |
Electorate candidate |
| Promoting both electorate candidate and party | Anytime except election day Counts as an election expense from 18 August to 16 October |
Party secretary and electorate candidate |
| Promoting or attacking a referendum option | Anytime except election day Counts as both an election and referendum expense from 18 August to 16 October |
Party secretary |
Third-party-initiated advertising
The table below summarises the rules for publishing third-party-initiated election and referendum advertisements in all mediums.
Advertisements that third parties initiate need to include a promoter statement with the third party’s name and address. Learn more about promoter statements on pages 7 and 8.
| Advertisement content | When advertising allowed | Needs authorisation from |
| Promoting a party | Anytime except election day Counts as an election expense from 18 August to 16 October |
Party secretary |
| Promoting an electorate candidate | Anytime except election day Counts as an election expense from 18 August to 16 October |
Electorate candidate |
| Promoting a party and an electorate candidate | Anytime except election day Counts as an election expense from 18 August to 16 October |
Party secretary and electorate candidate |
| Attacking a party or candidate | Anytime except election day Counts as an election expense from 18 August to 16 October |
Not applicable |
| Promoting or attacking a referendum option | Anytime except election day Counts as a referendum expense from 18 August to 16 October. If an ad is both an election and referendum advertisement, the full costs are double counted as both an election and referendum expense |
Not applicable |