Labor forced to pull 'inaccurate, misleading' ad under truth laws

ACT Labor has been forced to retract advertisements under truth-in-political-advertising laws on the eve of the election.

The ACT electoral commissioner determined the advertisements, which attributed the statement "women should definitely not be allowed abortions" to Liberal deputy leader Leanne Castley, was inaccurate and misleading to a material extent.

Labor secretary Ash van Dijk retracted the statement, which he authorised and had been published on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads on September 21.

Labor made a new Instagram post on Friday, warning voters not to risk abortion access under a "conservative Liberal government".

When Ms Castley filled out the 2020 ACT SmartVote survey, which asked "Do you think that women should readily be able to obtain an abortion if they request one?", she said, "Definitely no."

Deputy opposition leader Leanne Castley. Picture by Keegan Carroll

Ms Castley welcomed the electoral commissioner's decision which she said showed Labor leader and Chief Minister Andrew Barr had run a misleading and untrue campaign.

"It has been very disappointing to see Labor and Andrew Barr run such a negative campaign and I ask all Canberrans to look at my voting record in the Legislative Assembly on abortion and [voluntary assisted dying]," Ms Castley said in a statement to The Canberra Times.

A Labor spokesperson said the electoral commissioner had raised concerns that the party's videos did not accurately reflect the "nuance" of Ms Castley's SmartVote survey response.

"ACT Labor has amended the video to ensure it clearly states that when the Canberra Liberals Deputy Leader was asked whether a woman should 'readily be able to obtain an abortion if they request one', her answer was 'Definitely No'," the spokesperson said.

Ms Castley in December 2023 said she supported a woman's right to choose whether to have an abortion or not.

Earlier this year, Ms Castley also voted to support an expansion in abortion access in the territory by allowing nurse practitioners and midwives to prescribe abortion medication.

A screenshot of the ACT Labor ad which has been retracted by the party. Picture Facebook

Nearly half the Canberra Liberals' members in the Assembly voted against the bill.

But Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee on Friday said there would be no reduction to abortion access in the ACT under a Canberra Liberals government.

The 2020 election is the first campaign the territory's truth in political advertising laws have been in effect.