ARM Media Statement - 19 October 1999

Call for No ads to be taken off air because they are misleading and deceptive

The Australian Electoral Commission was asked today by the Australian Republican Movement to seek an injunction to prevent further broadcast or publication of certain No Committee referendum advertisements because they are misleading and deceptive under provisions of the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984.

The Advertising Standards Board the Federation of Australian Commercial Television Stations (FACTS) were also provided with the advice and asked to cease broadcasting the advertisements.

Advice to the Australian Republican Movement from Bret Walker SC indicate that the statement made in some No Committee advertisements:

"If you want to vote for the President, vote NO to the politicians republic."

is misleading and deceptive, and calculated to miselad an elector into believing that if she or he votes No, and that a majority do the same, they will have the opportunity to vote for the President.

The ARM's national campaign director, Greg Barns said that the No advertisements at the heart of the complaint were misleading deceptive in fact because they held out the false hope of another referendum on direct election, when none is planned.

"The Prime Minister is passionately opposed to direct election, so there is no support for another referendum on direct election from him. Senator Minchin, one of the monarchist chiefs in the Government, said last week that there will be no referendum after this one - that this is the last shot.

"So this notion that there will be a further referendum on direct election if people vote No is false and wrong in fact. It is deceptive. It is misleading. Ads which hold out this hope are misleading and deceptive. And because of this, these ads should be taken off air and out of circulation immediately."

Authorised by Malcolm Turnbull, Australian Republican Movement, 60 Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000