Brief
Victorian auditor‑general flags undeclared influencer posts and MP use of government videos
The Victorian Auditor‑General’s Office found that social‑media influencers and politicians shared paid and taxpayer‑funded content without proper disclosure, highlighting gaps in the state's outdated communication laws.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Victoria’s Auditor‑General’s Office (VAGO) released a report on Tuesday saying social‑media influencers promoting the Metro Tunnel and other state projects did not properly declare paid partnerships, and that politicians shared videos produced by government agencies without attributing the original taxpayer‑funded source.
What happened
The audit examined posts related to the Metro Tunnel, the state’s activity centres programme and the Melbourne Airport Rail project. It found that an influencer’s post promoting the activity centres listed the Department of Transport and Planning as a co‑author but omitted that it was a paid advertisement. The report also identified a video created by the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Agency that was reposted on the social‑media accounts of former transport minister Gabrielle Williams and later on the account of Premier Ben Carroll without any branding or attribution to the agency.
What the reports add
VAGO noted that digital advertising now represents the largest share of the Victorian government’s marketing spend – about $40 million in the 2024‑25 financial year – yet the state’s communication laws have not been updated since 2017. The audit said there are “no consistent rules across departments or agencies about when influencers should disclose the involvement of the government in their content.” It also highlighted that videos shared by politicians were “repurposed for political purposes” without clear government branding, which could erode public confidence.
What was said
“These examples show that when agency‑produced content is shared without clear government branding or strict attribution requirements, it can easily be repurposed for political purposes,” the VAGO report stated.
How it came about
The findings follow growing scrutiny of how Australian governments use social media. Earlier this year, the federal government faced criticism over the use of paid influencers for policy promotion, prompting calls for tighter disclosure rules. VAGO’s investigation builds on that debate by exposing similar gaps at the state level, echoing concerns raised in previous Felo News coverage of social‑media regulation.
Key facts
- The Victorian Auditor‑General’s Office found influencers failed to disclose paid promotion for a Metro Tunnel post. (smh.com.au)
- Premier Ben Carroll and former transport minister Gabrielle Williams shared government‑produced videos without attribution. (smh.com.au)
- Victoria spent about $40 million on digital advertising in 2024‑25, the largest advertising category for the state. (smh.com.au)
- State communication laws have not been updated since 2017, leaving no consistent disclosure rules for influencers. (smh.com.au)
Sources
- [1] smh.com.au — originally reported as “Victorian government social media: Auditor-general finds influencers and MPs failing to declare paid content and taxpayer-funded sources”
