An incident report is most useful when it gives the review team a clear account of what happened, where it happened and when it was observed. The campaign's reporting channel brings those details together with supporting photographs or video where available. It is a private operational channel, separate from published news and separate from the authorised election-result submission process.
Begin with the facts you know
Choose the category that most closely describes the issue and give a factual description. State what you personally observed and distinguish it from information supplied by someone else. Where a time, identity or sequence of events is uncertain, say so. A precise account does not need dramatic language, assumptions about motive or unrelated personal information.
Location matters because the appropriate review responsibility may depend on geography. A selected polling unit provides its name, ward, local government area and state. The resulting address can be corrected when an entrance, nearby landmark or more precise location would help. If the issue did not occur at a polling unit, describe the specific location instead of selecting an unrelated one.
Add evidence with care
Photographs and videos should support the report. Review every attachment before sending it and remove unrelated files. An image can show a condition or moment without proving the full sequence of events; a video may need a short explanation of what is visible and when it was recorded. Do not present an older photograph as evidence of a new incident.
Only supported images and videos belong in this form. Documents and unrelated files use neither the same review context nor the same media checks. Avoid submitting identity documents, private conversations or identifiable bystanders unless they are necessary to explain the incident. The availability of an upload field is not a reason to collect more personal information than the review requires.
Review before submitting
The review step is an opportunity to check the category, location, time, description and filenames together. Correct any accidental selection before submission. Contact details can help the team request clarification, but anonymous reporting remains available. Keep the acknowledgement reference so that any follow-up can be linked to the same report.
Authorised reviewers receive the submitted details and attachments through the restricted workspace. An attachment is not made public merely because it has been received. Requests to publish media or use it in a news item require the appropriate separate editorial decision.
This channel does not replace emergency assistance. If somebody faces immediate danger, contact the appropriate emergency service first. Election result sheets should be submitted through the assigned reporting workflow so that the correct contest, polling unit, ballot totals and revision history remain connected.
Describe the sequence in plain language
A useful description can be organised around a few straightforward questions: what did you observe first, what happened next, and what was the situation when you left? This order helps a reviewer understand the account without having to guess the sequence. Keep observation separate from interpretation. If another person supplied part of the information, make that clear in the description. You do not need to identify a motive or decide who is legally responsible in order to report something you observed. Specific, careful wording helps the team understand what requires attention and which details may need clarification.
Explain the connection between attachments and the account
When an attachment is relevant, describe what it shows and how it relates to the incident. A photograph may show a location, an obstruction or a moment within a longer event. A short video may begin after the incident started. Explaining those limits gives the reviewer a clearer understanding of the material. Review the files on your device before choosing them, and avoid adding the same file repeatedly. The written account remains useful even when no attachment is available: a missing photograph does not require you to fill the gap with an assumption or an unrelated image.
Keep the acknowledgement with your notes
After submitting through the incident reporting page, retain the acknowledgement information for your own reference. If you later provide clarification, linking it to the original report helps avoid presenting the same incident as several unrelated accounts. Keep any personal notes factual and limited to what is relevant. An acknowledgement confirms receipt through the channel; it should not be read as a finding about the incident or a guarantee of a particular outcome. Review may require additional information, and the account should remain open to clarification where a detail was uncertain at the time of submission.
Choose the appropriate public information route
Not every enquiry belongs in an incident report. A question about a Council appointment can go through the contact page, while the polling-unit directory helps with geographic information. General explanations are available through the frequently asked questions. Choosing the appropriate route helps keep the incident channel focused on the matters it is designed to receive. It also reduces unnecessary sharing of personal information. Where the concern is a factual error in a public article, identify the article and the point that needs attention rather than describing it as an unrelated operational incident.