WHAT WAS CLAIMED
An image shows Labor ministers wearing expensive designer clothes in parliament.
OUR VERDICT
False. The image has been edited using AI.
AAP FACTCHECK - An image of female Labor cabinet ministers wearing designer clothes in parliament is being widely shared on social media, but it's an AI fake.
A genuine photo of the four women has been edited with artificial intelligence (AI) to add the high-end outfits.
The claim is in an X post featuring an image of small business minister Anne Aly, sports and communications minister Anika Wells, housing minister Clare O'Neil, and social services minister Tanya Plibersek.
The image appears to show them sitting in parliament wearing expensive designer outfits from Gucci, Versace, Prada and Louis Vuitton.
"This entire cohort will lose their seat at the next election. Fact," the post caption reads.
However, a Google reverse image search reveals the image has been adapted from a genuine Australian Associated Press photo taken by photojournalist Mick Tsikas.
The original photo shows the four ministers wearing business attire during parliamentary question time on November 25, 2025.
No designer branding is visible in the original image.
The altered image has been shared widely online, including on Facebook.
One X post claimed the outfits were "Paid for by the taxpayer".
Several people commenting on the posts appear to believe the image is genuine.
"They should be sacked now for their incompetence and grifting off our public purse THE DEVILS WEAR PRADA," reads a comment on the original X post.
Another X post has shared a different AI-altered image of Ms Wells in designer clothing.
Ms Wells previously faced scrutiny after she flew to New York for a UN summit in September 2025 at a cost to taxpayers of nearly $100,000.
She repaid more than $10,000 in travel allowances after four taxpayer-funded trips between 2022 and 2025 were found to breach parliamentary rules, The Canberra Times reported.
AAP FactCheck has previously debunked a different AI-edited image falsely depicting Ms Wells wearing designer clothes in parliament.
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