Page 1939 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 5 August 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
publicly declared. Individual anonymous gifts worth less than that amount will not need to be declared, but the $25,000 limit on anonymous gifts from all sources in a year will continue to apply.
The committee has suggested that two trends in ACT elections should continue to be monitored: the growing trend to pre-poll voting chosen by one in four voters in the 2012 election, much of it occurring in the few days prior to election day, and the lower level of voter turnout in ACT elections compared with federal elections and elections elsewhere in Australia.
The committee was concerned about the growing proportion of enrolled voters who choose to pay a $20 penalty rather than casting their vote. Voting is both a privilege and a responsibility, and the committee has recommended that the penalty be doubled. It has not increased in 20 years and is amongst the lowest penalties across Australia. It is time for adjustment to reflect the importance of this civic duty.
The committee has not made any recommendation about the size of the Assembly, noting that the expert reference group established by the Chief Minister in late 2012 examined that issue thoroughly and that there are bills currently before the Assembly reflecting its recommendations.
The committee did hear evidence of opinion on the preferred size and location of ACT electorates, including some views that electorate boundaries should reflect geographical districts. However, I note that the opinion of one vote, one value is fundamental to the Hare-Clark system. Electorates must be of equal size to ensure that the quota needed for election is the same in each electorate. Determining the specific electoral boundaries is in the hands of the augmented ACT Electoral Commission, who must have regard to various matters set out in the legislation and must undertake public consultation. That is the appropriate process.
Another matter on which the committee heard concerns was the 100-metre limit on canvassing around polling places, including complaints about disruption and even danger to voters during the 2012 election. The committee considered that disruption to voters as they approach a polling place should be minimised. Rather than banning canvassing on polling day, as some other jurisdictions have, the committee has recommended that the limit be increased to 250 metres.
The committee had only a few short months to conduct its inquiry into a wide range of electoral issues, and we received submissions right until the last few days before finalising the report. The Assembly will have the opportunity to consider some of the later recommendations made by the ACT Electoral Commission in its proposed report to the Assembly later this year, as well as the issues the committee has drawn to the Assembly’s attention as meriting further examination.
The committee thanks all who participated in the inquiry for their contributions. I commend the motion to the Assembly.
MR COE (Ginninderra) (11.02): I too want to add my thanks to the committee secretariat for their work towards the compilation of this report. I particularly want to
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video