Monique Ryan and Allegra Spender spend more than $150,000 on Google and Meta ads

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“I want to make sure they know they’re in Wentworth, hear what’s important to them, and make sure they know how to contact me if they need help. It’s the work any local MP should do.”

The geo-targeting of online ads holds major appeal for Ryan, who faces a battle to retain her seat in Kooyong against Liberal candidate Amelia Hamer.

“I have met so many young people at meet and greets who tell me they get their news from social media. They’ve found the videos that I do quite instructive because I give people the background on policies,” she said.

“We try to advertise online within the electorate, we try to do it to the people who matter to us, so I can elevate my messaging out to people.”

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Last month, Ryan launched an attack against the Liberal Party for distributing pamphlets in Kooyong that she described as “inaccurate and misleading”.

Ryan strongly disputed the contents of the pamphlet – which accused her of voting with the Greens a majority of the time in parliament – and said it emphasised the need for truth in political advertising laws.

“It really is extraordinary that in this country it is legal to lie in political advertising. It corrodes people’s faith in democracy and the integrity of their elected representatives,” Ryan said in a statement.

“I have repeatedly called on the government to act on this issue. I will continue to do so until we fix the problem.”

Political advertising will be more prevalent in online and community spaces as the election draws closer, and is not limited to political parties. As reported by this masthead, conservative activist group Advance Australia in November launched a $1.5 million advertising campaign aimed at women that targeted the Greens for their handling of sexual assault allegations within the party.

The right-wing group was another top spender in the past three months, forking out more than $52,000 on Meta ads and $50,000 on Google.

The lobby group in the past three months has spent about $20,000 boosting one of the ads targeting the Greens through Google, with it being shown more than 2 million times.

Advance Australia was contacted for comment.

Data from Google revealed political ad spending is primarily directed to Victoria and NSW. In the last three months, more than $133,000 was spent in Victoria and $114,000 in NSW.

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