
Issue No 103		20 July 2001

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Howard Plans to Stop the Vote

By Jeremy Vermeesch

Up to 150,000 mainly young people could be prevented from voting at this year's Federal Election unless they enrol early with the Australian Electoral Commission.

The early warning comes after a Parliamentary Committee exposed a Howard Government plan to prevent more than 200,000 voters, mainly young people or those who have moved house recently, from getting on the electoral roll after the election is announced.

The Government-backed report of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters calls for the electoral roll to be closed to new enrolments at 6pm on the day the Prime Minister announces an election - instead of allowing the current seven-day period for people to get their voting details in order. The report also calls for a reduction from seven days to three days to register a change of address.

Opinion polling suggests that the groups being targeted by the Government - young people and home renters - tend to vote against the Coalition.

The legal changes threaten the votes of an estimated 150,000 young people (ie: those voting for the first time, many who turned 18 since the last election) and even more people who may be enrolled at the wrong address.

The Government is considering introducing the changes in its planned Elections and Referendums Amendment Bill which could go before Federal Parliament later this year.

Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) figures show more than 430,000 people enrolled or updated their enrolment in the seven-day cut-off period before the 1996 Federal Election. For the 1998 election, the figure was 351,913. For the 1999 Republic Referendum, 315,104 enrolments were processed - half of them (155,000) from first-time voters.

Of the new enrolments for the 1999 Referendum, 18 and 19-year-olds made up 75% of the new enrolments, compared to 50% for the 1998 Federal Election. Further, 60% of all enrolment activity over the 1999 Referendum Close of Rolls period came from the 17-29 year old age group.

Under John Howard's plan, such people - primarily young and first time voters - will not be able to vote unless they enrol with the AEC before an election is called. Many observers expect Mr Howard to announce the election in November, but it could be at any time this year.

The AEC opposes Mr Howard's plan to stop people voting. In repeated submissions to the Joint Committee, the AEC warns that the Government's recommendations would stop many young people from voting while doing nothing to improve the accuracy of the roll, which is Mr Howard's stated justification for the changes in the first place.

"In fact, the expectation is that the rolls for the election will be less accurate (AEC's italics) because less time will be available for existing electors to correct their enrolments and for new enrolments to be received. This expected outcome is in direct conflict with the stated policy intention of the Government to improve the accuracy of the rolls," the AEC submission said.

The AEC is conducting an ongoing enrolment program. Australians aged over 18 are required by law to enrol to vote. Seventeen-year-olds may register provisionally, but will only be allowed to vote after turning 18. Enrolment forms are available:

- At post offices

- On the AEC website: www.aec.gov.au

- From the AEC, telephone on 13 23 26

View entire issue - print all of the articles!

Issue 103 contents

Interview: Political Witch Hunt
CFMEU national secretary John Sutton on the mooted Royal Commission and what is really needed to clean up the building industry

E-Change: 1.3 The Nation State in Crisis
In the latest instalment in their study on the new politics, Peter Lewis and Michael Gadiel looks at the rise and fall of the institutional State.

Unions: Industrial Violence
Rowan Cahill agrees with Tony Abbott that thuggery and violence are part of Australian industrial relations landscape - but it's the bosses who do most of the bashing.

History: Total Recoil
Neal Towart looks at how Royal Commissions designed to kick unions have typically come back to haunt their architects.

International: Behind the Eight Ball
Jubilee Australia's Thea Ormond looks at the international activity being generated around this week's Group of Eight Summit in Genoa

Politics: Now We The People
A new group believes there is an alternative to corporate gobalism and economic rationalism

Satire: Marsden Now to Sue Himself
Sydney solicitor John Marsden is suing himself for defamation, claiming the recent libel case he brought did irreparable damage to his reputation.

Review: In The House
Resident Four-Eyes Mark Morey attempts the impossible with this attempt at a serious analysis of Big Brother.

» Survey Shows Majority Support for Unions

» Howard's Union Stooge in Hot Water

» Unions Cash in on Big Brother

» Big Boys Bully Over Della Compo Changes

» Where's WorkCover? Safety Prosecutions Drop Off

» Telstra's Ultimatum: Stay Away From Kim

» Workers Win Stake in New Bank

» Hours Test Case Gets Green Light

» St John of God Workers Pray for Justice

» Five-Star Action From Security Guards

» Howard Plans to Stop the Vote

» Rio Outrage Heads for Court

» Nurses To Fight For Pay

» One Hundred Reasons to Save Aussie Post

» Rail Track Sell-Off Part of Privatisation Push

» Coles Myer Abandons Regional Jobs

» Qld Wage Rise Still Not Enough

» Activists Notebook

» The Soapbox

» The Locker Room

» Trades Hall

» Tool Shed

» Problems with Hunter Decision

» A Lost Cause

» High Farce

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