Speaker: The member for Bradfield has the call.

Member for Bradfield (Nicolette Boele): Thank you deputy speaker. A strong democracy needs a firm foundation in fact, evidence and honesty. So it's for that reason it's a privilege to be speaking today on the need to have truth in political advertising to improve transparency and ban the lies. And I thank and commend the member for Warringah for her tireless work in this area. In the last parliament, the member introduced a bill to establish a truth in political advertising framework for the Commonwealth elections and referendums. The bill she is proposing today makes some very important additions.

First, it would introduce a board to oversee the truth in political advertising framework. The board would sit within the Australian Electoral Commission but make independent decisions, be led by experts, and be capable of investigating breaches of the law. Second, it would create an enforceable ethical political advertising code to ensure that ads aren't peppered with disinformation and lies, that scientific claims reflect the evidence, and opinions are not presented as fact.

And third, and very importantly, it responds to the rise of AI by requiring all ads to disclose when they use AI-generated visual or audio content. We are already seeing malicious actors use AI to disrupt democratic processes. The ABC found 370 fake Australian political messages in just one week across 14 foreign-run Facebook accounts. And in the 2024 US election, AI voice agents were used to call citizens and tell them not to vote.

We need to inoculate our political process and our democracy from these risks. And it's shocking that as a politician, I could run ads tomorrow that have no bearing to the truth and face next to no consequences. It just doesn't make sense. Most Aussies agree: 70% of voters support laws to require claims in political advertising to be accurate and truthful, according to a poll commissioned by the Australian Democracy Network.

And why wouldn't they? Who wants to live in a democracy where our elected leaders or those running against them are free to lie and deceive? We don't allow it in our supermarkets, in our super funds, or in our gas networks. Why do we tolerate it in our elections?

Without truth in political advertising, the quality of public discourse is degraded. I recommend this bill to the House and I thank the member for Warringah for her work in this area.