Labor Party paid new media for budget propaganda

The Labor Party have paid travel costs for YouTube creators, independent journalists and so-called social media influencers, who were selected by the party and government ministers, and then given them preferential treatment not afforded other independent journalists.

Only some of the 13 “independent media” had their travel costs paid but all were given special treatment by being allowed into the federal budget lock-up.

What is the federal budget lock-up? Wikipedia says, “On budget day, but before the presentation of the budget, the Treasurer spends the day behind locked doors briefing media and interest groups on various aspects of the budget. This is known as the budget lock-up.” (Click here to read more)

Below is some of the reporting which outlines what happened and at the end I will outline the key issues of what an abuse of power it was for the Labor Party to do what they did.

The SMH published an article on the 26th of March 2025 titled “Australian Labor Party paid content creators’ travel costs for budget” which starts off:

The Australian Labor Party has compensated some of the social media influencers who covered the federal budget for their travel to Canberra, after inviting them to attend the lock-up as part of a campaign strategy to court prominent online voices.

A sportswear brand ambassador and charity founder, Instagram finance advisers and left-wing feminist influencers were part of the group who came to Canberra for the budget as part of a Labor strategy to court prominent online voices reported by this masthead earlier this month.

One of the influencers told this masthead that some of the 13 content creators with less financial resources had their travel costs to Canberra covered by the party. This was confirmed by other sources familiar with the project.

The financial support to influencers reveals further accessibility given to non-traditional forms of media, as Federal Labor works to reach voters who use social media for their news consumption.

The people invited to report on the budget were selected by the party and government ministers, sources confirmed.

The Australian Financial Review reported on Wednesday that some influencers would also be allowed to travel with the prime minister as he campaigns for the upcoming election, widely expected to be called within days. The Coalition has also sought to use influencers to spread its message. (Click here to read more)

Further background which adds to how scandalous it is:  

The SMH published an article on the 5th of March 2025 titled “Soft questions, angry comments: Albanese and Dutton hit the podcast campaign” which says:

Abbie Chatfield wasn’t hiding her political allegiance. “My primary goal in this is to get the Labor government back into government,” the influencer declared at the start of her interview with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last month.

 

The treatment shows why political parties are so eager to court influencers such as Chatfield, who became a star on The Bachelor and is now a broadcaster. They have big audiences, loyal followers, and reach people who aren’t a “political girlie pop” in Chatfield’s phrasing. It’s little wonder Albanese stayed with Chatfield’s It’s A Lot podcast for 90 minutes, half an hour longer than planned.

But the connection people feel with influencers such as Chatfield, who has made avowedly left-wing politics core to her brand, comes with a risk for the stars.

“I’m raging that she’s platformed a genocide complicit fkwit [sic] of a PM,” one commenter wrote after Chatfield’s Albanese interview. “He used you, you idiot.” (Click here to read more)

Some key questions:

1. How many of the “independent journalists” and/or social media influencers are regularly critical of the federal Labor government? None I’ll bet.
2. How many of the 13 are confessed supporters of the Labor Party such as Abbie Chatfield?
3. What are the names of the Labor Party staff and government ministers who selected the 13 and what was the criteria to be selected?
4. Were other political parties and independent politicians also allowed to invite their preferred “independent media” to the federal budget lock-up? If not, why not?
5. How many taxpayer dollars were used to support the 13 “independents” when they were in Canberra and/or at parliament house.

There are 2 key issues. Firstly, the Labor Party gave special treatment to journalists who they would regard as Labor Party “friendly” and secondly, there would have been government dollars used to facilitate it even if was a small amount.

One of the 13 invited was a website called “Missing Perspectives” and they published a story about the trip and also raised the issue about payment and said:

“It goes without saying that it’s really important that any media (creators, influencers or journalists) invited continue to be really transparent about whether they accepted payment, flights or accommodation paid for etc. Missing Perspectives is a newsroom – and because of that, we prioritise editorial independence and have a policy of declining any paid accommodation or transport for political coverage.” (Click here to read more) 

At least Missing Perspectives were honest about the payments, but I hate to tell them that if they were hard hitting journalists they would not have been invited by the Labor Party.

You might think it is a minor issue, but it is part of a deeper dive this website and YouTube channel will be taking into the Labor Party playing dirty pool trying to influence independent media just before the federal election.

Could you imagine the Labor Party ever inviting me? Of course not. You might argue that is because I don’t report on finance. But I do, it’s called financial fraud which is a regular theme on this website when I write about corrupt politicians.

We all know how the Murdoch / News Corp propaganda machine supports the Liberal / National Party coalition and leading up to the election it’s important to have a close look at the Labor Party’s independent media strategy which isn’t pretty. But more on that soon.