Event

In March 2025 Senator Jane Hume referred local news startup Gazette News to the Australian Electoral Commission, accusing it of being a “highly sophisticated domestic disinformation campaign bankrolled by Climate 200 and boosted by teal MPs and candidates”.1 This began a broader public campaign against Gazette.

Hume’s claim is threefold:

  1. That Gazette News is funded by Climate 200.
  2. That Gazette News writes stories that criticise major parties and support teal independents.
  3. That Gazette News uses “issues or politics” advertising on Facebook to elevate these stories.

The AEC dismissed the complaint, saying that the Electoral Act excludes the reporting of news and that it found no evidence that the company’s output was electoral material.2

Context

Gazette News launched in 2024 and quickly expanded into competitive local news markets. It has received social impact investment but has been cagey about its funding sources, leading to speculation prior to this event.3 Its CEO and founder, Anna Saulwick, does not come from a news background – she was most recently of Change.org.

Gazette has disclosed three major funders – Mark Rawson, Matt Doran and James Taylor – each of whom has also made previous donations to either Climate 200 or to candidates backed by Climate 200, such as ACT Senator David Pocock.4

Reactions

Internal

Anna Saulwick has denied the claim that her organisation is linked to the teal movement or Climate 200.5 She said that “like many philanthropists who support public interest journalism, our seed funders believe in the importance of strong local news – particularly in covering issues that impact communities, such as the environment.” She pointed out that their website says that Gazette does not accept funding from political candidates or organisations, and that there is a firewall between funders and editorial.

In response to the Facebook marketing issue, Saulwick says that this is based on a misunderstanding of Facebook’s process, which implements a three-month delay before a new account can be categorised as ‘news’, which is why their advertising is instead classified as ‘issue advertising’.6

Speaking to Mumbrella later in March, Saulwick said that the three funders hold no equity in the business.7

External

Simon Holmes à Court, founder of Climate 200, has denied any involvement with Gazette News, though said he has previously met Saulwick.8

Country Press Australia supported Jane Hume’s call for an investigation. President Andrew Schreyer expanded his complaint to include Gazette’s claim to be ‘filling the gap’ in local news, correctly observing that Gazette has launched in only competitive local news markets – including his own in western Gippsland.9

Timeline

15/10/24Gazette launches The Eastern Melburnian10
27/11/24Gazette launches The North Shore Lorikeet11
18/12/24Gazette launches The Mid North Coaster12
18/02/25Gazette launches The Gippsland Monitor13
28/02/25Gazette launches The West Vic Brolga14
11/03/25Senator Jane Hume writes to the AEC over Gazette15
12/03/25Simon Holmes à Court denies any link between Climate 200 and Gazette16
27/03/25AEC dismisses the complaint17

Footnotes

  1. Sakkal P. 2025. Coalition makes formal complaint over pro-teal spin in ‘fake newspaper’. Sydney Morning Herald. 12 March. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coalition-makes-formal-complaint-over-pro-teal-spin-in-fake-newspaper-20250311-p5limh.html ↩︎
  2. Crawford H. 2025. AEC throws out Gazette complaint. Mumbrella. 27 March. https://mumbrella.com.au/aec-throws-out-gazette-complaint-868956 ↩︎
  3. Saeed D. 2025. Matthew, James, Mark: Who are the mystery men funding a news startup targeting ‘disinformation’? Crikey. 12 November. https://www.crikey.com.au/2024/11/12/gazette-news-startup-funding/ ↩︎
  4. Dhanji K. and Butler J. 2025. Climate 200 denies any link to publisher accused of ‘disinformation’ and promoting teals. The Guardian. 12 March. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/12/climate-200-denies-any-link-to-publisher-accused-of-disinformation-and-promoting-teals-ntwnfb ↩︎
  5. Sakkal P. 2025. Coalition makes formal complaint over pro-teal spin in ‘fake newspaper’. Sydney Morning Herald. 12 March. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coalition-makes-formal-complaint-over-pro-teal-spin-in-fake-newspaper-20250311-p5limh.html ↩︎
  6. Sakkal P. 2025. Coalition makes formal complaint over pro-teal spin in ‘fake newspaper’. Sydney Morning Herald. 12 March. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coalition-makes-formal-complaint-over-pro-teal-spin-in-fake-newspaper-20250311-p5limh.html ↩︎
  7. Crawford H. 2025. ‘A nasty stunt’: Gazette founder denies propaganda claim. Mumbrella. 26 March. https://mumbrella.com.au/a-nasty-stunt-gazette-founder-denies-propaganda-claim-868830 ↩︎
  8. Dhanji K. and Butler J. 2025. Climate 200 denies any link to publisher accused of ‘disinformation’ and promoting teals. The Guardian. 12 March. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/12/climate-200-denies-any-link-to-publisher-accused-of-disinformation-and-promoting-teals-ntwnfb ↩︎
  9. van Loon M. 2025. Journalism integrity under threat from easily formed ‘news websites’. Ranges Trader Star Mail. 18 March. https://rangestrader.mailcommunity.com.au/news/2025-03-18/journalism-integrity-under-threat-from-easily-formed-news-websites/ ↩︎
  10. Dickson G. 2025. Record 993. The Eastern Melburnian. Public Interest Publishers Index. ↩︎
  11. Dickson G. 2025. Record 996. The North Shore Lorikeet. Public Interest Publishers Index. ↩︎
  12. Dickson G. 2025. Record 998. The Mid North Coaster. Public Interest Publishers Index. ↩︎
  13. Dickson G. 2025. Record 1019. The Gippsland Monitor. Public Interest Publishers Index. ↩︎
  14. Dickson G. 2025. Record 1020. The West Vic Brolga. Public Interest Publishers Index. ↩︎
  15. Sakkal P. 2025. Coalition makes formal complaint over pro-teal spin in ‘fake newspaper’. Sydney Morning Herald. 12 March. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coalition-makes-formal-complaint-over-pro-teal-spin-in-fake-newspaper-20250311-p5limh.html ↩︎
  16. Dhanji K. and Butler J. 2025. Climate 200 denies any link to publisher accused of ‘disinformation’ and promoting teals. The Guardian. 12 March. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/12/climate-200-denies-any-link-to-publisher-accused-of-disinformation-and-promoting-teals-ntwnfb ↩︎
  17. Crawford H. 2025. AEC throws out Gazette complaint. Mumbrella. 27 March. https://mumbrella.com.au/aec-throws-out-gazette-complaint-868956 ↩︎