Inside Australia’s Political Influencer Lobby Machine | The West Report

Political influencers and online commentators are one of the most important forces shaping public opinion in Australia.

But unlike political parties, there are few rules of transparency about who funds online creators, who provides talking points or whether lobby groups work behind the scenes to shape narratives on social media.

In this multi-part investigation, Josh talks to Turning Point Australia founder Joel Jammal about lobbying, influencer sponsorships, dark money, foreign influence and whether online creators are increasingly targeted by advocacy organizations and political groups.

Joel claims he has been approached multiple times with offers linked to political messages and sponsorships, including from foreign-connected interests.

As more Australians get their news from YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, questions are rising about transparency, disclosure and who influences political discussions online.