Melbourne’s airwaves crackled with frustration on April 28, 2025, when 3AW Drive host Jacqui Felgate unloaded on the barrage of political text messages flooding voters’ phones just days before Saturday’s federal election. “I’m just sick of it, to be honest,” she told her listeners, her voice carrying the weary edge of someone who’s had one too many unsolicited pings. Her target? The Trumpet of Patriots party, a minor but noisy player in the race, which she said had sent her three texts that day alone.
Felgate’s gripe isn’t hers alone. With the election looming, Australians are drowning in a deluge of campaign messages—some earnest, some pushy, all relentless. The Trumpet of Patriots, known for its fiery rhetoric, has leaned hard into text blasts, urging voters to back its platform. Felgate, no stranger to calling out nonsense, questioned how many texts the public’s been hit with, her tone sharp but measured, like a neighbor fed up with a loud party next door.
The issue isn’t just annoyance—it’s strategy gone wrong. Andrea Carson, a political communication expert from La Trobe University, joined Felgate on air to unpack the tactic. Carson warned that the spam could backfire, alienating voters instead of winning them over. Rather than rallying support, the constant buzz of texts risks turning off even the most engaged citizens, who are already juggling a crowded field of candidates and promises.
This isn’t a new problem, but it’s hit a fever pitch. Political parties have long used texts to reach voters, exploiting loopholes in Australia’s spam laws, which don’t tightly regulate campaign messages. The Australian Communications and Media Authority, tasked with overseeing telecom rules, has guidelines but no ironclad ban on political texts. Parties must include an opt-out option, yet many voters find the process clunky or ignored. Felgate floated a fix on air: stricter rules to curb the flood. “Is it time to put a leash on this?” she asked, her words landing like a challenge.
The Trumpet of Patriots isn’t the only culprit, but it’s drawn the most heat. Its texts, often bold and alarmist, aim to cut through the noise but have instead fueled irritation. Other parties, from major players to fringe groups, are also spamming inboxes, though none have matched the Patriots’ zeal. With the election set for May 3, 2025, the texting frenzy shows no sign of slowing.
Felgate’s outburst struck a chord because it’s relatable. Who hasn’t felt their phone buzz, glanced at the screen, and groaned at yet another campaign pitch? Her call-out, raw and unfiltered, put a voice to a shared frustration, one that’s unlikely to fade before the polls close. The federal election is five days away, and early voting began on April 21. The Australian Electoral Commission expects a high turnout, with over 17 million registered voters.