South Australian Current Acts

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ELECTORAL ACT 1985 - SECT 113

113—Misleading advertising

        (1)         This section applies to advertisements published by any means (including radio or television).

        (2)         A person who authorises, causes or permits the publication of an electoral advertisement (an "advertiser") is guilty of an offence if the advertisement contains a statement purporting to be a statement of fact that is inaccurate and misleading to a material extent.

Maximum penalty:

            (a)         if the offender is a natural person—$5 000;

            (b)         if the offender is a body corporate—$25 000.

        (3)         However, it is a defence to a charge of an offence against subsection (2) to establish that the defendant—

            (a)         took no part in determining the content of the advertisement; and

            (b)         could not reasonably be expected to have known that the statement to which the charge relates was inaccurate and misleading.

        (4)         If the Electoral Commissioner is satisfied that an electoral advertisement contains a statement purporting to be a statement of fact that is inaccurate and misleading to a material extent, the Electoral Commissioner may request the advertiser to do one or more of the following:

            (a)         withdraw the advertisement from further publication;

            (b)         publish a retraction in specified terms and a specified manner and form,

(and in proceedings for an offence against subsection (2) arising from the advertisement, the advertiser's response to a request under this subsection will be taken into account in assessing any penalty to which the advertiser may be liable).

        (5)         If the Supreme Court is satisfied beyond reasonable doubt on application by the Electoral Commissioner that an electoral advertisement contains a statement purporting to be a statement of fact that is inaccurate and misleading to a material extent, the Court may order the advertiser to do one or more of the following:

            (a)         withdraw the advertisement from further publication;

            (b)         publish a retraction in specified terms and a specified manner and form.



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