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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Christopher Knaus

Investigation into contractor that faked voice referendum data extended to two federal election campaigns

Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) signage
The AEC says it was left oblivious to McNair yellowSquares’ decision to broaden an investigation into its contracting projects to its work on the 2019 and 2022 federal election campaigns. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

A government contractor found to have fabricated data on Indigenous communities during the referendum quietly commissioned an independent investigator to probe the integrity of its work for the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) in the past two federal elections, internal documents reveal.

Guardian Australia revealed earlier this year that McNair yellowSquares, a market research firm and frequent government contractor, had fabricated data purporting to show the views of Indigenous communities in regional areas and suburban Adelaide.

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