Dr. Jane Suiter:

In regard to electoral commissions, as in the case of Australia and Canada, they are generally the bodies that oversee political and issue-based misinformation and advertising. Advertising and information provision prior to elections and referendums is a crucial part of the process. If this role was to be removed from the commission and put into some other general regulation, it would become problematic. One would also be wondering when that would be done and about the specific electoral impacts. We are concerned about issues such as Covid misinformation, but when it comes to misinformation that is related to voting, referendums and elections, it is very serious. To take that away from the electoral commission would hobble it and would not allow it to fulfil all of its functions. Again, I point to Australia. Earlier, Deputy Ó Broin mentioned the second part of the committee's discussions about platform regulations.

I am sure the committee will have looked at some of the measures the Australians have taken to try to protect their information environment. Again, it is their electoral commission that leads on this. It is not necessary and I would not die on this cross on this, but, overall, the electoral commission is probably the most appropriate place for this legislation to be.