<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Australian Electoral Commission has given the green light to controversial posts made by prominent social influencer Abbie Chatfield, with the watchdog deciding they do not constitute political content needing an authorisation statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Chatfield, a TV host and podcaster who has 532,000 followers on Instagram, recently posted three clips of herself interviewing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a caption on one post, Chatfield outlines Labor's Medicare policies and criticises the Liberal Party's record on healthcare.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-budget-2025-influencer-controversy-backlash-hannah-ferguson/e0697abc-cbcd-438d-a39d-37cab53d83d7" rel="" target="" title="Hannah was invited to the budget lock-up. Now, some are trying to paint her as a 'silly young woman'"><strong><span>Hannah was invited to the budget lock-up. Now, some are trying to paint her as a 'silly young woman'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Chatfield has also posted collaborations with Greens leader Adam Bandt, including a joint 'VOTE' DJ event in Melbourne they hosted. In one video, Chatfield says Bandt is "an incredible leader" while in another she encourages her followers to vote the Liberal Party last.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Coalition senator Jane Hume last week questioned the collaborative nature of Chatfield's posts featuring Albanese and Bandt during budget estimates week and asked whether the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) would be investigating the content.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hume also posed the question of whether the influencers were being paid to make the posts, which Chatfield denied.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/australian-electoral-commission-to-investigate-influencer-abbie-chatfields-posts/774c24fb-a824-44bf-9dca-7a863e3fe430" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Legally, any political content is Australian is required to include an authorisation message to make clear whether it is an opinion or an endorsement of a candidate. Traditional news media is excluded from this requirement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a statement released by the Australia Electoral Commission, a spokesperson said the AEC had concluded its investigation and found no authorisation statement was needed on Chatfield's posts.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For online content to require an authorisation statement it must contain electoral matter which is seeking to influencing how someone votes. The content must also be paid advertising or communicated on behalf of a politician or party.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"While the podcasts in question could be viewed as being made for purpose of influencing how someone casts their vote, there is no evidence that there was a monetary benefit for the podcaster as a result of either Mr Albanese or Mr Bandt being invited onto the show," an AEC spokesperson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It appears that the invitations to Mr Albanese or Mr Bandt to participate were voluntary. In addition, questions put to both interviewees were sourced from the podcast's audience. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There is no evidence that either Mr Albanese or Mr Bandt had creative control in relation to the questions that were asked."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Campaigning for this federal election has seen political leaders increasingly turn to social media influencers in a bid to spread their messages.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Notably, several influencers </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-budget-2025-influencer-controversy-backlash-hannah-ferguson/e0697abc-cbcd-438d-a39d-37cab53d83d7" rel="" target="" title="were invited to attend the lock-up"><span>were invited to attend the lock-up</span></a><span> for last month's budget by the Albanese Government, alongside journalists from traditional media.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/Z8tJCf"><strong><span>Sign up here</span></strong></a><span> </span><strong><span>to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.</span></strong></div></div>