Page 3082 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 17 October 2007

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Motion agreed to.

Paper

Mr Barr presented the following paper:

ACT College Business Plan 2007-2009, prepared by the Department of Education and Training.

Hospitals—proposed inquiry

Pursuant to standing order 128, Mr Stefaniak fixed the next day of sitting for the moving of his motion.

Australian electoral system

Debate resumed from 30 May 2007, on motion by Ms MacDonald:

That this Assembly:

(1) notes:

(a) the amendments made to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 by the Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Electoral Integrity and Other Measures) Act 2006 will disenfranchise thousands of eligible voters in our community;

(b) the Howard Government’s enrolment changes are unnecessary and are likely to weaken Australia’s electoral system;

(d) the importance of a strong electoral system which has as many eligible voters enrolled as possible in order to maintain trust in the electoral system by the electorate; and

(2) requests the Chief Minister write to the Federal Minister, Gary Nairn MP, expressing the concern of this Assembly at the negative impact these changes will have.

DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (5.36): Here we have another motion that was put on the notice paper some months ago. I do not know that this one really needs updating but now we are in the throes of the effects of those changes to the electoral act so we can comment on them. The effects are visible today; so I will be referring to some of those. I will of course be supporting Ms MacDonald’s motion. I am very well aware of the changes that have been made by the federal government to the Commonwealth Electoral Act.

It does appear very much as though the government has sought to diminish the ability of people to enrol once the election has been announced. Voters now have only until

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