If you put out advertising about a candidate, party or election issue, but are not a candidate or party yourself, you're a third party promoter. Learn the rules you must follow when you advertise and campaign during an election.
All your advertisements must include your contact details, so people can see who's promoting them.
You'll need to register with us if you spend, or intend to spend, over the unregistered third party expense limit on election advertising during the regulated period (generally three months) before a general election or the regulated period for a by-election (from the day after the notice of vacancy is published up to election day).
Registered promoter application form [PDF, 77KB]
The regulated period for the 2026 General Election will run from Friday 7 August to Friday 6 November 2026. The limits for the 2026 election are:
- $17,000 (including GST) for an unregistered third party
- $424,000 (including GST) for a registered third party.
You're also responsible for keeping a record of your expenses. If you spend over $100,000, you'll need to report your expenses to us after the election.
If you're a publisher such as a newspaper that's just publishing an election advertisement that someone else is promoting, you're not a third party promoter.
Find out more about the rules in the third party handbook.
Third Party Handbook 2026 General Election [PDF, 49MB]
Get in touch if you have questions about being a third party promoter.