Electoral Reforms Condemned

The Howard Government's proposed electoral reforms were today rammed through the House of Representatives. Following a series of divisions, including three gag motions, the Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Electoral Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2005 will now be sent to the Senate for rubber stamping by the Government.

These reforms are all about making it harder to vote, but easier to donate to political parties.

The main changes proposed in the bill are:

Early closure of the electoral roll

By closing the electoral roll for most new enrolees on the day the writs are issued and only giving existing enrolees three days to correct their details, the government will severely limit a crucial period for Australians to ensure they are correctly enrolled. If it had been implemented for the last election up to 3 500 Territorians in Lingiari and Solomon eligible to enrol or change their enrolment details could have missed out on voting or face/cause delays at the polling booth on election day by being required to vote provisionally or complete change of enrolment address paperwork.

Greater identity requirements for enrolment

This will make it harder to enrol and therefore to be part of the democratic process. It will increase the administrative burden on the AEC and potentially disenfranchise thousands.

New requirements for provisional voters to prove their identity

Voters on election day who aren't listed on the electoral roll are able to cast a provisional vote, that is then enveloped. After election day the bona fides of these ballots are investigated by the AEC and if they should be admitted to the count, they are. The Government intends to force those who cast a provisional vote to provide additional proof of identity. If they are unable to do so their vote will be excluded. At the last election if this legislation had been in place 1152 Territory provisional voters would have had to prove their identity.

However, donating large sums of money to a political party without any public scrutiny has become easier.

Increasing the declarable limit for disclosure of political donations from $1,500 to $10,000

A huge jump in the limit required before donation details must be made public. Massive sums of money will go into party coffers without the public knowing. Labor estimates that over 80 per cent of donations would disappear from public view. In 2003-04 over 12 million dollars across all major parties would vanish from public scrutiny.

Increasing tax deductibility for political donations from $100 to $1500

A 1500 per cent jump in tax deductibility! A massive windfall to coalition donors.

Former Special Minister of State Senator Abetz stated that there is not and has never been any evidence to show that any election outcome has been affected by fraud in the history of our country. He even admitted that this bill is largely a response to changes made by Labor over twenty years ago.

The Government's agenda is very clear. The Howard Government will make it easier for you to donate to influence the democratic process, but a lot harder to actually exercise your democratic rights.

2006-05-11