Google to probe ads for Australian pro-climate candidates, MPs

Google has launched an investigation into pro-climate candidates and independent MPs supported by the Climate 200 group.

The launch of Team Zali 2022 – Zali Steggall will be partly funded by the Climate 200 group. Picture: Facebook

Google has launched an investigation into pro-climate candidates and independent MPs supported by the Climate 200 group after they were accused by a Liberal MP of failing to publicly disclose their advertising on the platform.

Liberal MP Jason Falinski has asked the Australian Electoral Commission to oversee the investigation into “voices of” candidates that are in line to be part-funded from Simon Holmes a Court’s campaigning group Climate 200, including independent MPs Zali Steggall and Helen Haines.

“Several candidates under Climate 200 have been running ads with US and China-owned social media giants and refusing to use the transparency portals that allow all Australians to know what they are advertising and how much they are spending,” Mr Falinski wrote in a letter to Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers.

“We saw in 2016 in the United States the impact that dark ­advertising can have when a democratic people are denied ­information,” he wrote.

“To that point, I want to formally advise you on an investi­gation launched by Google on breaches of their political transparency codes of conduct by ­several independent candidates standing for the next federal election and two sitting independent members of parliament, Zali Steggall MP and, we believe, Dr Helen Haines MP. It would be only consistent for AEC to monitor Google’s political advertisement transparency report.”

While Google sources said on Friday the use of the term “investigation” was inaccurate, The Weekend Australian has seen correspondence from a senior Google staff member to a Liberal staff member confirming that the social media giant was investi­gating the issue.

Some of the “many” pro-­climate independents Mr Falinski accused of breaching rules were Wentworth candidate Allegra Spender, Mackellar candidate Sophie Scamps, Hughes candidate Georgia Steele and Kooyong candidate Monique Ryan.

Under Google’s transparency regimen, political candidates and parties must be verified by the social media giant if they advertise through the website, including through subsidiary platforms such as YouTube. The verification process enables Google to publish a transparency report showing funding sources for political ads and the amount being spent by candidates.

None of the pro-climate independents who are trying to unseat Liberal MPs appear on Google’s publicly available transparency report, which was last updated on Friday. The verification process usually takes five business days.

Speaking to The Weekend Australian, Mr Falinski accused the candidates of double standards. “This sets up the double standards of Simon Holmes a Court and his political party,” Mr Falinski said.

“On one hand he demands transparency from the Liberal Party, and on the other hand there is this where they are trying to hide money they are spending with US-based social media ­giants – and you’ve got to ask yourself, if they are hiding this what else are they hiding?”

A spokeswoman for Ms Spender said her campaign had “submitted all ad accounts and ad creative for approval through Google”. “Allegra for Wentworth has spent $5830 on Google ads. All our advertising is compliant with AEC regulation,” the spokeswoman said.

A spokesman for Dr Scamps said the Mackellar candidate’s advertising has been submitted to Google. “The campaign is happy to disclose that we have spent $3370 and we will contact Google to ensure we are included in their report in the future,” she said.

Ms Steggall said her campaign spending was done “in accordance with the rules and appropriately declared”, while Ms Haines said she had not advertised with Google since the transparency register was established.

Ms Ryan and Ms Steele also denied wrongdoing.