Senator MASON (2:54 PM) —My question is to the Special Minister of State, Senator Abetz. What is the government doing to ensure the integrity of the electoral roll? Would the minister inform the Senate of any opposition to securing the integrity of the electoral roll.

Senator ABETZ (Special Minister of State) —I thank Senator Mason for his question, and I acknowledge his ongoing work on the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters. The electoral roll is a document fundamental to our democratic system. As such, it should be valued by all Australians and not be used as a political plaything for partisan purposes. It is a tragedy, therefore, that Labor Party careerists, in their unseemly scramble for office, have seen fit to compromise the roll's integrity and corrupt its spirit. Presenting identification at the time of enrolment was one of the key provisions of the Electoral and Referendum Amendment Act (No. 1) 1999. This act was passed in the face of Labor opposition.

The PRESIDENT —Senator Schacht, putting your hands around your mouth and shouting to increase the volume is completely disorderly. You know the standing orders.

Senator ABETZ —It is amazing that the Labor Party always get themselves into a state when we talk about the integrity of the electoral roll. Madam President, I remind honourable senators opposite that both the Shepherdson inquiry and the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters recommended that identification at the time of enrolment should be provided. I am sure that senators opposite would know that—

Opposition senators interjecting—

The PRESIDENT —Order! There are far too many senators shouting on my left.

Senator ABETZ —The people of Australia who are watching this must be wondering why the Australian Labor Party are so opposed to the recommendations of the Shepherdson inquiry, which was called to look into the electoral rorting by the Australian Labor Party in the state of Queensland. Despite the recommendations, the federal Labor Party and all their state colleagues continue to oppose some degree of integrity for the electoral roll. Senator Faulkner, in his childish outbursts, you will recall has said on a number of occasions that it was paranoia on the part of this government to want integrity of the electoral roll. But it was not this government's paranoia that saw Labor Party operatives in Queensland go to jail and also the resignation of three Labor members from that state parliament.

In recent times, I have been advised that Labor members have been putting up posters in their electorate offices which read, `Labor voters, are you on the electoral roll?' Of course, the printer made a mistake. The question should have been, `Labor voters, are you on the electoral roll and, if so, how often?' That is because that is the way that the Labor Party have been using the electoral roll, especially in Queensland. So much for Labor's commitment to universal suffrage. They only want Labor people on the electoral roll because they do not believe in everybody being on the electoral roll. They see the electoral roll as a plaything for the Labor Party, for them to put Labor people on it in appropriate electorates.

I am sure that the new senator, John Cherry, who is not currently with us, would have a very good understanding of the need for some degree of identification to ensure that enrolment on the electoral roll has some integrity. As a result of this need for integrity, I indicate to the Senate that we, as a government, will be pursuing the regulations and we will be putting them before his excellency so that they can be promulgated in time for the next federal election. (Time expired)