3. Formatting, placement, and language of an authorisation

Updated: 19 December 2024

All authorisation messages must meet the formatting, placement, and language requirements set out by the Commonwealth Electoral (Authorisation of Voter Communication) Determination 2021 (the Determination). These requirements ensure that authorisations are prominent, legible, and easily found.

How to format and place an authorisation depends on how the electoral communication will be communicated.  The Better Practice Guide provides guidance on the requirements and examples depending on whether the communication will be by:

The Better Practice Guide also provides guidance on authorising content altered by artificial intelligence.

Broadcast political communications are regulated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Please refer to Election, referendum and political ads page on the ACMA website for further information.

Quick reference summary of the formatting, placement and language requirements:

As a general rule, the authorisation on all visual electoral communications (e.g. print or social media) must:

  • be reasonably prominent
  • be legible at a distance at which the communication is intended to be read
  • not be placed over complex pictorial or multi-coloured backgrounds
  • be in a text that contrasts with the background on which the text appears, and
  • for printed communications, be printed in a way that cannot be easily removed or erased; and will not fade, run, or rub off.

AEC's Authorisation Calculator

For print communications, the calculator helps to determine the minimum recommended font size and height for the authorisation.

As a general rule, the following table sets out where an authorisation must be placed: 

Type of communication

The authorisation must be:

Print
e.g. stickers, fridge magnets, leaflets, flyers, pamphlets, notices, posters, and how-to-vote cards

 placed at the end.

Audio-only (excluding broadcast radio)
e.g. music, voice recordings, podcasts, robocalls, bulk phone calls.

 announced at the beginning.

Broadcast radio

 announced at the end.

Video communications (including broadcast television)

 announced and shown at the end.

Electronic billboards, electric road signs etc.

 at the end of the communication.

Other paid communications
e.g. paid communications that are not covered by the categories above, including paid social media advertisements.

 at the end of the communication.

SMS or other mass text campaigns

at the end of the communication or, via hyperlink at the end of the communication to a website that provides the authorisation in full.

Webpage

in the footer of the webpage.

Unpaid social media posts by disclosure entity who is an individual

in the “About Us” or “Contact Us’ section that relates to the individual and that is directly linked to or can be accessed by clicking a link in the communication.

Unpaid social media posts by a disclosure entity who is not an individual.

at the end of the communication or via hyperlink at the end of the communication to a website that provides the authorisation in full.

If your communication includes languages other than English, there are additional requirements for your authorisation message:

  • if the communication is only in English, then the particulars must only be notified in English
  • if the communication is only in a language other than English, then the particulars must be notified in both English and the language used for the rest of the communication
  • if the communication is in 2 or more languages, the particulars must be notified in both English and at least one of the languages (other than English) used in the communication.

Language requirements for broadcast television and radio may be different. The ACMA regulates broadcast political communications. Please refer to the ACMA for further information.

Further information and resources:

Is an authorisation required?

What to include in your authorisation

Authorisations Better Practice Guide

FAQs: Election communication

Authorisations flow chart

Minimum font size calculator