Why are so many voters receiving election campaign texts from the Trumpet of Patriots party?

How did the Trumpet of Patriots get your number? Are they allowed? Is it legal? How come you can’t unsubscribe from their texts? Find the answers here.

An influx of unsolicited election texts from the Trumpet of Patriots party has left many voters irritated and confused as to how their data has been sourced.

The texts typically include a short policy, a link to the party website – and, notably, no option to opt out of the messages.

Frustrated recipients of the texts have taken their grievances to social media, complaining of the ‘invasive’ and ‘disgusting’ tactics employed by the political party.

Melbourne media personality Jacqui Felgate shared a screenshot to her 414,000 followers on Instagram of the text she had received, prompting more than 700 comments from those who shared her thoughts.

An influx of unsolicited election texts from the Trumpet of Patriots party has left many voters irritated and confused as to how their data has been sourced. Picture: Supplied

“I do not know why it’s a free for all with private numbers this election,” Ms Felgate captioned the post.

“I work in a non-emergency ambulance and we are getting these texts on the truck phone,” one person commented with an angry emoticon.

Another person complained they “blocked and got another today”.

Senior economist Saul Eslake also took to social media to reveal his annoyance at the party’s texts.

“Why am I getting regular servings of drivel from Harry Fong on behalf of Clive Palmer?” he wrote.

“I haven’t signed up to any mailing list of his (or indeed any other political party).

“How did Harry Fong get my number? And why can’t I block him, or report as spam, as I can do with all other unsolicited and unwanted texts and phone calls I get on an almost daily basis?”

Clive Palmer is the leader of the Trumpet of Patriots party. Picture: Dan Peled

Mr Eslake asked how Mr Fong would feel if his phone was “inundated with unsolicited text messages every day”.

Despite the widespread ire, the Australian Electoral Commission said it had “no insight” into how political parties obtained mobile phone numbers, except to confirm that the data “was not provided by the AEC”.

“Political parties are exempt from the Spam Act and the Privacy Act and are able to send unsolicited text messages without an opt out option,” an AEC spokesperson said.

“Any changes to these laws would be a matter for the parliament to consider.”

Therefore, given the text messages are not classified as commercial, they do not require consent nor an unsubscribe link and are under no obligation to disclose how they source people’s phone numbers.

Ultimately, while annoying, the texts are completely legal — and we may never know how our numbers are shared.

Originally published as Why are so many voters receiving election campaign texts from the Trumpet of Patriots party?