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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 2 Hansard (26 February) . . Page.. 456 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

The notice shall be in a particular form and shall seek any objections within 14 days, or a month in the case of the Commonwealth. If there is an objection, the party or the registered officer of the party responds. The commissioner can refuse an application on certain grounds, including that the party intends to use a name that comprises more than six words.

Mr Whitecross: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: It occurs to me that Mrs Littlewood's question appears to relate to provisions of the Commonwealth Electoral Act. I am just wondering whether it really falls within the purview of Mr Humphries to explain the provisions of the Commonwealth Electoral Act to the house.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, it was about the ACT's Electoral Act that the question was asked. Nonetheless, the procedure I described to the Assembly is identical for both Commonwealth and ACT legislation. Although I am commenting on the ACT legislation, of course, it is equally applicable to the Commonwealth.

MR SPEAKER: Then there is no point of order.

MR HUMPHRIES: Indeed. I do not know why Mr Whitecross is so nervous. Why is he shifting in his seat on this? Why are there little beads of sweat on his brow? What is the reason? I do not know.

To continue with the answer, Mr Speaker: If a party intends to use a name that comprises more than six words; if the words are obscene; if the name or an abbreviation or acronym of the party is the name of another party; if it comprises the word "independent" or similar combinations, then there is a discretion to refuse the application. Of course, many parties can use that provision if they wish to. I notice in fact that one party has. The Australian Labor Party has - - -

Mrs Carnell: No; that is what they used to be called.

MR HUMPHRIES: I am sorry; it is not the Australian Labor Party anymore. I read in the Canberra Times a notice by the Australian Electoral Commission, indicating that the Australian Labor Party ACT Branch wishes to now call itself, in its abbreviated form, the New Labor Party. Where was the funeral for the old Labor Party? I was not invited. Was the funeral on 18 February 1995? Was that the funeral date, or what was it?

Mrs Carnell: Maybe they did not like the old one.

MR HUMPHRIES: Perhaps they did not like the old one. It looks like Tony Blair has arrived in the form of Mr Whitecross in the ACT Assembly. I do not know what happened to the old Labor Party, but the new one does not seem to me to be particularly new at all. The only new thing I can see across there is Mr Corbell - and I do not know how new he is - but the rest of them all look pretty old, hackneyed and tired to me.

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