What Counts as a Publication for a Victorian Community Newspaper?
For a not-for-profit community newspaper in Victoria, a "publication" is any work you make available to the public — whether you sell it, distribute it to registered members, or give it away free. That definition matters because it triggers a legal obligation: under Victorian legal deposit rules, you must send one copy to the State Library within 60 days of publication. It also brings electoral advertising authorisation rules into play, and shapes how you deal with government advertising placed through appointed agents.
What counts as a publication
The CNAV notice on legal deposit sets out the test plainly: if you publish a work in Victoria — that is, make material available to the public for sale, to registered members, or free of charge — it is a publication for these purposes.
That covers more than a printed masthead. For a community newspaper or its parent organisation, it can include:
- The newspaper itself, in print or digital form
- Newsletters and bulletins distributed to members
- Free community publications handed out locally
- Any material you make publicly available, regardless of whether money changes hands
The key point is that "free" and "members-only" do not exempt you. The trigger is making the work available, not charging for it.
The legal deposit requirement
If you publish a work in Victoria, you are required to send one copy to the Library within 60 days of publication. This applies across the categories above — sale, registered members, or free distribution.
Practically, that means building a step into your production cycle: once an issue or newsletter is finalised and distributed, a copy needs to reach the Library inside the 60-day window. Treating it as a routine post-publication task, rather than an afterthought, is the simplest way to stay compliant.
Electoral advertising authorisation
All electoral advertisements — not just during election periods — at Federal, State and Local government levels must include the name and address of the person who authorised the advertisement. The address must be a full street address with suburb or locality.
Two things are worth noting for community publishers:
- The rule applies year-round, not only at election time.
- It applies at all three levels of government, so a local council candidate's ad carries the same authorisation requirement as a federal one.
If you accept electoral advertising, checking that the authorisation line is present and complete before publication is part of your production checklist.
Government advertising and timelines
The Victorian State Government appointed OmniMedia as its advertising agent. OmniMedia has told the CNAV committee that it is keen to work with community newspapers, but has had difficulty managing timelines.
For publishers, that signals a practical issue: government advertising booked through the appointed agent may come with tight or shifting deadlines. If you want to capture this revenue, it helps to clarify booking and copy deadlines with the agent early, and to flag your own production cut-offs so material can be placed realistically.
Where CNAV fits in
The Community Newspaper Association of Victoria (CNAV) is the peak body representing not-for-profit community newspapers across Victoria. It works with members to enhance the capacity and standing of community newspapers so they can fully realise their role in communities.
For publishers and contributors, CNAV is the practical reference point for:
- Notices on compliance matters such as legal deposit, government advertising and electoral advertisements
- Member support and resources
- Awards recognising community newspaper work — the 2025 CNAV Conference award results included categories such as Best feature story and Best editorial comment, with winners and finalists drawn from titles across the state
- Archived news items and useful links to organisations such as Our Community, Australia's centre for not-for-profits and schools
If you are unsure whether something you produce counts as a publication, or how a compliance rule applies to your title, CNAV's member resources and notices are the place to start.