A newly launched community newspaper, The Gazette, is facing accusations of being a political propaganda operation disguised as independent journalism. The controversy, driven by its pro-climate change stance and opposition to nuclear energy, has sparked calls for an Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) investigation into its funding and affiliations.
The Gazette, which operates in seats held by Teal independents, has come under scrutiny for its alleged financial backing from donors closely associated with Climate 200. Concerns have been raised that these publications are primarily promoting Teal candidates while failing to disclose their financial ties to political advocacy groups.
Andrew Schreyer, president of Country Press Australia (CPA), has been vocal in condemning the operation, warning of the risks posed by politically funded news outlets.
“It’s all too easy now to set up a ‘news’ website that publishes political propaganda dressed up as journalism and amplified through social media campaigns,” he said.
Schreyer emphasised the threat this poses to both the integrity of political advertising regulations and public trust in truly independent news sources.
“Most of our Country Press Australia member newspapers have news websites and a history dating back well over 100 years,” he said.
“We are concerned the actions of this single organisation could undermine the respect readers have for authentic public interest journalism.
“In addition, many local radio and television services across rural and regional Australia have a proud history of supporting and serving local communities.
“Independently owned place based public interest journalism providers such as our member newspapers work hard to earn the respect and trust of the communities they serve”.
Critics argue that Gazette News’ claim of filling a void in local journalism is misleading. Schreyer pointed out that long-standing, independent newspapers have operated in many of these regions for decades.
“The revelation that Gazette News online publications are funded by top Teal donors damages the reputation of independent regional, rural, and local mastheads,” he added.
The funding controversy follows a pattern of concerns raised in Parliament. Nationals leader David Littleproud has formally lodged a complaint with the AEC, condemning Gazette News as a ‘fake online news site’ designed to mislead local communities.
“The Melbourne millionaires running the Teal Party are taking country people for mugs,” Littleproud stated.
“The Teals lectured us about integrity in politics in the 2022 campaign, so why not just be honest with people, that this is just another form of political party advertising?
“A key funder of Gazette News falsely claims the outlet provides journalism to communities where local news has ‘declined or disappeared’.
“This just happens to be in their target seats.”
Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume has also called for a formal probe, describing Gazette News as a “highly sophisticated domestic disinformation campaign bankrolled by Climate 200 and boosted by Teal MPs and candidates.” She claimed that the publications’ financial structure circumvents political advertising regulations, potentially breaching electoral laws.
Gazette News’ financial backers—James Taylor, Matt Doran, and Mark Rawson—have collectively donated over $1.7 million to Climate 200 and Teal candidates, according to AEC disclosures. While Gazette News denies direct ties to Climate 200, its editorial coverage heavily favours Climate 200-backed candidates and often runs identical narratives across multiple publications.
B&T approached The Gazette for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.
The irony of News Corp leading the charge against The Gazette has not gone unnoticed. While many critics have pointed out the bias in certain corporate media outlets, the accusations against The Gazette highlight a growing concern over the increasing sophistication of politically influenced journalism masquerading as independent reporting.
With the federal election approaching, scrutiny over politically funded news platforms is likely to intensify. The outcome of the AEC’s review could set an important precedent for how political influence in digital journalism is regulated in Australia.
