Source:ABC Radio PerthProgram:WA Mornings
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Most people say they are annoyed by unsolicited text messages during election campaigns, but most politicians say that principles of democracy and freedom of political communication mean they are here to stay.
In this area one party stands out — Trumpet of Patriots, Clive Palmer's party — which has been bombarding Australians with messages in recent weeks. Even Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's fiancee Jodie Haydon has received messages from the party.
Both Labor's Matt Keogh, Federal member for Burt and Liberal Party Senator Michaelia Cash told Nadia Mitsopoulos at an ABC Radio Perth election forum they have also been receiving the text messages, and annoying as they are, they are probably not going anywhere.
Matt Keogh: We're getting them too.
Nadia Mitsopoulos: You're getting them too?
Michaelia Cash: We are.
Nadia Mitsopoulos: So these are the text messages coming from Clive Palmer's Trumpet of Patriots party and people cannot opt out of them. They cannot make them stop and Anthony Albanese has this morning said he'd be happy to ban these texts or any texts from political parties. Do you agree it's time to ban them?
Matt Keogh: Oh, look I think they're certainly annoying the hell out of people. I know so many people have raised them with me and people get very frustrated by getting these texts and not being able to opt out of them. I completely see where the PM's coming from, if we can find a way of getting him out of people's lives I think everyone would be happier.
Nadia Mitsopoulos: Because the reality is politicians have actually exempted themselves from the rules and regulations and the legislation that covers this. So Michaela Cash is it time to ban them from all political parties once and for all?
Michaelia Cash: I'm a huge believer in freedom of political communication and I think one of the criticisms would be from voters if they didn't hear from us is: 'we're not hearing from you, we don't know what your policies are'. So I think, as Matt said, I mean I keep getting them from this particular person. You can read it or not. I often choose to read it out of amusement and nothing more. That's about it. But certainly I think one of the great features of our democracy actually is freedom of political communication to ensure that people do know what the varying parties stand for and you are then able to make an informed choice.
Nadia Mitsopoulos: Should we at least be able to have the option to opt out of them or make them stop?
Michaelia Cash: I'm not going to disagree with that personally. I think… but for me it's delete.
Nadia Mitsopoulos: People don't like them.
Matt Keogh: People don't like them and they're getting very annoyed by them and I think that's what the PM's picked up on in what he said there. More broadly though, it's not just about text messages it's things in people's letterboxes, it's emails, it's radio ads, it's television, it's video.Â
But it is important, you know, we make Australians vote. It's compulsory here. We need to make sure that they are informed and that political parties, candidates, independents, whoever they are, can provide that information to people so they can make an informed decision.Â
Now that people will read whatever it is that they're receiving and seeing and they'll… come to a view about whether they like them or not and maybe the annoyance factor of this particular method of communication will inform how people decide to vote as well.
Trumpet of Patriots election campaign text message.
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