From WeChat to the Ballot Box: Can Chinese Social Media Influence the Australian Election?

MPs have adopted a more muted tone when discussing the CCP, in an attempt to avoid the ‘anti-Chinese’ label propagated on apps like WeChat.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media at a doorstop during Lunar New Year celebrations at Eastwood Plaza in Sydney, Australia on Feb. 4, 2023. AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi

News Analysis

With over 1.3 million Australians identifying as having Chinese ancestry, the question of how Chinese-language social media shapes elections has become a major topic, particularly as the official race for the 2025 election kicks into high gear.