⏱️This edition of the National Account’s newsletter is a six-minute read.
👋 G’day everyone, Archie here.
Today, we’re looking at the turbulent career of chair-sniffing former Western Australian MP Troy Buswell, the lack of consistency in cigarette ad bans in this country and the mysterious Victorian campaigning group that has spent over $150,000 on Facebook and Instagram ads since July.
Let’s dive into it 🗞️.
All I can confirm is that the events described in the paper by the former female staffer are accurate
🗣️ Why did he say that?
Troy Buswell became leader of the Western Australian Liberals in January 2008, the same month he was accused of snapping a Labor staffer’s bra.
By April, he had admitted to sniffing a staffer’s chair.
For my full rundown, check out today’s video:
Up in smoke 🚬
Foxtel has been issued a breach notice by media watchdog the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) after airing a classic car race featuring a vehicle with cigarette branding.
Foxtel has promised to do better. Meanwhile, Facebook Marketplace is still running ads for businesses selling cigarettes and vapes.
Watch my rundown below:
💰 Who’s behind this?
Better Victoria spent nearly $150,000 on ads across Meta’s platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, between July 22 and October 19, according to Meta’s Ad Library, ahead of next month’s Victorian election.
The group says it isn’t a political party and has no relationship with any party. I called the listed secretary, Melbourne lawyer Ronald Holzer, but he said questions had to be put in writing.
In response to a series of questions (some of which went unanswered), an unnamed spokesperson said the group is funded entirely by its members, who have a right to remain anonymous.
Watch my rundown below:
I hope you enjoyed this issue, and would love to hear your thoughts and feedback. If you reply to this email, I’ll be on the other side 👋 .
I’ll be back on Monday.
Cheers, Archie