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AEC keeps eye on disinformation

Tom Parry

WITH less than a week until election day, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is combatting a rise in disinformation. According to Australian Electorate Officer for Victoria Nye Coffey, the rise stems from a general distrust of government, which is particularly witnessed overseas and on social media. “We’ve done a few things to combat that,” Mr Coffey said. “You might have seem some reporting around our engagement on social media, which is probably some of the most robust social media engagement via a federal government agency. “We do call people out on misinformation, and we also have a misinformation register – which is on our website – which allows people to see what some of those common misinformation elements are.” Although the AEC plays an active role in suppressing disinformation, Mr Coffey noted that the organisation’s powers only extend so far. “One candidate going out and saying something about another candidate – while that might be true or it might not be true – is not necessarily something that we would get involved in,” Mr Coffey said. “Where we get involved is where it’s misinformation about the process – the act of voting.” “So if it was, for instance, telling people how to vote … or if it was purporting to be information from the Electoral Commission.” An example of the latter would include a much-publicised instance during the 2019 Federal Election, when signage resembling official AEC material instructed voters to preference the Liberal Party in key Melbourne seats. The signage resulted in a Federal Court case, which ruled that the Commonwealth and the AEC needed to address the issue. “At the time, the interpretation of the Commonwealth Electoral Act didn’t allow us to take action on that signage, but this new interpretation brought about by the Federal Court case, means that, yes, we very much would get involved if that (situation) were to occur again,” Mr Coffey said. Anybody wishing to access the AEC’s Disinformation Register can head to www.aec. gov.au/election/disinformation-register.htm

With less than a week until Election Day, the AEC is combatting a rise in disinformation.

Photo: Tom Parry

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THE state government is continuing to delay the long-awaited Traralgon bypass, utilising as excuse that would potentially delay it for decades. Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien raised a question in State Parliament recently seeking an update on progress of the Traralgon bypass which has been planned for decades, but not progressed. Mr O’Brien said he was astounded at the answer received from the Roads Minister Ben Carroll, which stated that construction of the bypass on the proposed route couldn’t be “confirmed until the final rehabilitation of the Loy Yang Mine is understood.” “The rehabilitation of the Latrobe Valley coal mines is a complex and difficult process, and I am acutely aware that the proposed bypass does go close to the Loy Yang mine,” Mr O’Brien said. “However, AGL doesn’t plan to close Loy Yang until somewhere between 2040 and 2045 and there is no indication of when rehabilitation plans will be approved. “Indeed, I understand that the Labor government has said this will not occur until much closer to the closure time. “We need this Traralgon bypass to go ahead and waiting until the mine rehabilitation plan is approved could delay it for decades. That is just not reasonable or acceptable. “This project has been on the drawing board for decades and is only getting more urgent.” Mr O’Brien said the state government provided funding for further development of the project in 2017, but it has not progressed since then. “The overwhelming feedback from VicRoads’ own community engagement at the time was that the government needs to get on with the Traralgon bypass project,” Mr O’Brien said. “There are currently 10 sets of traffic lights through Traralgon and will soon be 11. “It has become a choke point for through traffic and a traffic nightmare for Traralgon residents and businesses. “We need to plan carefully but get on with this project. Utilising as excuse that will last for decades is not helpful. “I call on the government to restart the planning process and get on with funding this important project.”