Page 4686 - Week 15 - Thursday, 16 December 1993
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The commission will have as one of its functions the task of advising the responsible Minister on electoral matters. As the repository of electoral expertise, this is entirely proper and will not threaten the independence of the commission. The commission will also have the function of advising the Assembly on electoral matters, and I anticipate that the commission will assist Assembly committees in their work from time to time. The commission is required to report annually on its operations through the Minister to the Assembly. The commission will properly be required to participate in the normal budgetary process to secure funding for its functions and to account for its financial management. Under the self-government Act it is clearly the role of the Executive to provide for the funding of the commission; but, of course, the Assembly will be able to review the funding of the commission in its budget deliberations.
Madam Speaker, as foreshadowed in the budget papers, the commission will be staffed by a small complement of permanent officers in addition to the full-time Electoral Commissioner and the two part-time members of the commission. The Bill provides for temporary staff to be appointed at election time and allows for officers of the Australian Electoral Commission and the State electoral authorities to be appointed as officers for ACT election purposes, subject to the agreement of the Commonwealth and the States. In this way the ACT will be able to draw on the expertise and resources of the Commonwealth and State electoral bodies while retaining responsibility for the process.
Another key element of the Bill, the enrolment scheme, is based on negotiating a joint electoral roll agreement with the Commonwealth. It is envisaged that the ACT will enter into a joint agreement with the Commonwealth along the lines of the agreements the Commonwealth has with all other States and the Northern Territory. Under a joint roll agreement, the Australian Electoral Commission will, for a price, bear the responsibility for maintaining the electoral rolls and providing the ACT Electoral Commission with the information it requires to enable it to fulfil its obligations under this Bill.
Another important component of the Bill is intended to ensure that ACT politics remains corruption free.
Members interjected.
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, I will repeat that. Another important component of the Bill is intended to ensure that ACT politics remains corruption free - the election funding and disclosure of political donations and expenditure schemes.
Mr Cornwell: You can repeat it as much as you like; it does not mean to say that it is true.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Speaker, order!
MS FOLLETT: I realise that the Liberals find this a huge joke, but we hope that it will keep them honest. Madam Speaker, the requirements for disclosure of donations and expenditure are closely modelled on the Commonwealth requirements. This is intended to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort where political parties are registered at the Commonwealth and ACT levels and consequently will be required to provide returns to both the ACT Electoral Commission and the Australian Electoral Commission.
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