ASA’s guide on Local Government Election Advertising

8 August 2022

With the Local Government Elections in Aotearoa fast approaching, below are the key things to be aware of when it comes to local election advertising.

Types of advertising:

• Paid advertising: We consider complaints about paid election advertising. This includes paid digital advertisements, paid communications from social media platforms (including boosted or sponsored posts and paid advertisements), print, radio, television, addressed and unaddressed mail, cinema and outdoor advertising.
• Owned media channels: The ASA will decline to adjudicate on complaints about posts on candidate or party branded social media pages (referred to as organic posts/owned media) or websites from political parties, candidates, and election-related advocacy groups. This is because consumers choose to access it, the content is presented from a particular perspective, and it should be viewed in that context.

Responsible advertising:

If you see or hear advertising that you think is socially irresponsible, indecent, or offensive, or misleading, please make a complaint.

Election advertising falls under advocacy advertising in the ASA’s Advertising Standards Code. This type of advertising needs to clearly state the identity and position of the advertiser, opinion needs to be clearly distinguishable from factual information, and factual information needs to be able to be substantiated.

In a free and democratic society, differences of political opinion should be openly debated without undue hindrance or interference from authorities such as the ASA. In no way should political parties, politicians, lobby groups or advocates be unnecessarily fettered by a technical or unduly strict interpretation of the rules and regulations and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act protection for freedom of expression forms part of the complaints assessment.

Complaints process:

Voting in the local government election takes place between 16 September and 8 October 2022, and during this time we will be operating a fast-track complaints process. Once a complaint is accepted, advertisers have 24-48 hours to respond. A decision will be issued within 48 hours of the Complaints Board meeting, which will meet more regularly during this period.

To make a complaint please click here, and if you have any queries please contact us.