ACMA - Election period

The Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) is aware that there has been recent public comment on whether the Prime Minister’s speech on 30 January 2013 means that an ‘election period’ has commenced for the purposes of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992.

Under the Broadcasting Services Act, during an ‘election period’ broadcasters must ‘give reasonable opportunities for the broadcasting of election matter to all political parties contesting the election’.  However, broadcasters are ‘not [required] to broadcast any matter free of charge’.

The ACMA will be administering the Broadcasting Services Act on the basis that an ‘election period’ has not yet commenced.

The ACMA’s approach is consistent with legal advice to the Government that the election period has not yet commenced.

Further information regarding the broadcasting and communication of political and election matter is available here.