The plain-English version
Terms of use.
These early-access terms explain what Australia Speaks is, what the content means, what an account is for, and how to use it fairly. A full set of terms will be published before public launch.
Last updated: August 2026
Early access
Australia Speaks is in early access. That means it is still being built and tested, features may change, and there may be gaps or interruptions. We are sharing it early because a civic tool should be built in the open.
What the content is
Neutral summaries are plain-English explanations of a bill, written from its text and reviewed by a person before publication. They are general information, not legal, financial or voting advice. The three perspective panels are AI-generated political opinion, clearly labelled — they are not factual analysis and do not represent the position of Australia Speaks. Always check the linked primary sources for anything that matters to you.
What the tallies are
Tallies show the votes of Australia Speaks users — people who chose to use the app and vote. They are not a scientific poll, an election, or a measure of national opinion, and nothing on Australia Speaks has any bearing on how Parliament votes or on official processes.
Accounts are optional
You can use Australia Speaks without creating an account — the app registers an anonymous device identity and that is enough to read, follow and vote. If you choose to create an account (email and password, Sign in with Apple, or Sign in with Google) it exists to keep your place across phones. It never links you to how you voted; see our privacy policy for exactly what an account does and doesn’t hold. You must be 16 or older to create one.
Looking after your account
Keep your password to yourself and tell us if you think someone else has used your account. You are responsible for what happens under it. We may suspend or close accounts used to manipulate tallies, abuse the service, or break these terms. You can delete your account at any time from the Account screen in the app (or by emailing us); deletion removes everything that identifies you and leaves the aggregate tallies as they were.
Voting fairly
One person, one vote per bill — whether you use an anonymous device identity or an account. Please don’t try to manipulate the tallies through automation, multiple devices or accounts, or other interference. We may take steps to protect the integrity of the results.
Acceptable use
Use Australia Speaks lawfully. Don’t attempt to break, overload, reverse-engineer or misuse the service, and don’t use it to harm others. Because there are no public comments or posts on Australia Speaks, there is no user-generated content to moderate.
Intellectual property
The Australia Speaks name, brand and original content are ours. Bill text and other primary sources belong to their respective owners and are linked to their sources.
Changes and availability
We may update these terms, the features, or the pricing as the product develops. Nothing is charged today; if a paid tier launches, you will be told clearly before anything is ever charged. We don’t guarantee the service will always be available, error-free or uninterrupted during early access.
Contact
Questions about these terms? Email hello@australiaspeaks.au.