AEC and Government Solicitor threaten Great Australian Party with “quantum” fine
Under the title “Authorisation requirements under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Cth),” the Australian Government Solicitors have issued the Great Australian Party with a warning letter claiming they are being “instructed to act for the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC)“.
Point 3 of the letter stated:
Each time the unauthorised electoral matter is viewed, the notifying entity (in this case the GAP) may be liable to pay a civil penalty up to $26,640. That is, each time the unauthorised post and/or page is viewed, a penalty of $26,640 can be imposed. For example, we note that the GAP Facebook page has 111,000 followers and has attracted 510 reviews. Depending on the number of times the unauthorised electoral matter on the Facebook page has been viewed, you might be liable for a very significant civil penalty, the precise quantum of which will not be known until the concerns raised by the AEC have been addressed (that is the posts and/or page have been authorised in compliance with the Act).
Furthermore, the Australian Government Solicitors spent Christmas Eve trolling and taking screen shots of the Great Australian Party Facebook Page and emailed a further two (2) “unauthorised” posts they found. We’re not sure if the AEC has given a party this much attention in their entire existence, begging the question is this even normal behaviour?
The letter was signed off by Matthew Blunn
National Leader AGS Dispute Resolution
T 02 6253 7424 M 0407 464 028
matthew.blunn@ags.gov.au
AEC Correspondence
FOI20-060 Decision letter
FOI21-164 FOI Decision Letter – with Attachment The Royal Seal
FOI20-094 Decision Letter
FOI21114 FOI Decision Letter
AFP No Australian authority exist outside the Commonwealth
AEC Complaint for Federal Elections 2022
2022 Notice of Disclosure of Commonwealth Election Writ
Sibraa Nomination rejection
20211223 Letter to GAP 21009614
