Australian Parties’ Youtube Ad Spend Triples At Tv's Expense

CANBERRA — Australia’s two major parties increased their spending on YouTube advertising by more than triple at the 2025 federal election, from AU$4.77 million to AU$16.5 million.

The changing nature of 21st century campaigns is laid bare in a High Court challenge against Australia’s electoral spending and donation caps brought by two former independent parliamentarians who claim the new laws breach the implied freedom of political communication.

The Commonwealth’s amended defense contains extraordinary details about the cost of reaching a voter on various platforms, including digital ad spending, TV and the cost of a full-page ad in every major newspaper.

The defense reveals that the Labor and Liberal parties’ combined free-to-air television advertising spend declined between the 2022 and 2025 elections, from AU$21.9 million to AU$18.9 million.

Spending on YouTube exploded from AU$2.94 million by Labor and AU$1.83 million by the Liberals in 2022 to AU$9.74 million and AU$6.76 million, respectively, in 2025.

Total spending on broadcast video on demand, which includes streaming services and catch-up TV, increased from AU$1.41 million in 2022 to AU$3.14 million in 2025.

“Television is declining as a source of news for Australians, relative to other forms of media including online news and social media,” the defense noted.

The Commonwealth is defending a spending cap of AU$800,000 per electorate, which independents warn makes it harder for them to break into parliament by raising their profile to the level of well-recognized major parties.

The Australian government has banned children aged under 16 from having social media accounts, restrictions that are being challenged in a separate case to be heard by the High Court on Nov. 3-4. It is also seeking to legislate a digital duty of care, which proposes to make platforms liable for serious harms online.

YouTube ads, broadcast video on demand and search advertisement all have similar price points. The defense in the campaign finance case suggests six YouTube ads gaining 1,000 impressions targeted at voters in an electorate costs between AU$42.90-AU$52.80, plus fees. Broadcast video on demand is similar, at rates of AU$53.90-AU$57.20. Search advertisements, such as Google, cost AU$44 for 1,000 impressions.

The exception is Meta ads, which can be the cheapest options for campaign — often costing between AU$13.20 and AU$18.16 for 1,000 impressions — but they are also subject to the greatest degree of surge pricing: with pricing jumping by up to 550%, according to the defense.

TV ad costs are also highly variable: They range from AU$64.90 to reach 1% of those aged above 18 in regional Victoria, to AU$457.60 in Perth, AU$1,245.20 in Melbourne and AU$2,201.10 in Sydney.

Newspaper advertising rates show the most expensive places for a one-page ad are: The Herald Sun, Melbourne: (AU$25,839.00); The Daily Telegraph, Sydney (AU$22,011); The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney (AU$20,295); and The Age, Melbourne: (AU$19,035.50).

The defense suggests that qualitative research in the form of an online focus group of six people for 90 minutes with in-depth analysis costs AU$7,700. Quantitative research, a computer-assisted telephone survey of 400 people, costs AU$29,040.

One day of advertising production for video material, including creative, scripting, and production, costs AU$27,000.

On Tuesday, POLITICO revealed if the new electoral laws had applied at the 2025 election Labor would have received an extra AU$15.4 million and the Liberals an extra AU$9.4 million for their campaigns, as the impact of the donations cap could be mitigated by splitting donations and would be more than made up for by increased public funding.

On Wednesday, POLITICO revealed the Labor Party spent AU$1.3 million in each of two inner-city Brisbane seats held by the Greens, including its successful bid to oust the prime minister’s antagonist, Max Chandler-Mather, from parliament.