12 October 2005

2468  MR MURPHY: To ask the Special Minister of State—

(1) Has he read the article titled ‘New democracy: fewer parties, voters’ in the Sydney Morning Herald on 11 October 2005 which discussed the findings of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters following the committee’s inquiry into the conduct of the 2004 Federal Election and reported that “the government majority recommended the earlier closure of the electoral rolls when an election is called, a move that could cost hundreds of thousands of people their right to vote”.

(2) How many Australians (a) enrolled to vote, and (b) varied their enrolment details during the five day period before the electoral rolls closed following the calling of the Federal Election on Sunday, 29 August 2004.

(3) Of those Australians identified in part 2(a), how many were (a) enrolling for the first time, (b) under twenty-five years of age, (c) of non-English speaking background, and (d) not tertiary educated.

(4) How many Australians enrolled to vote during the five day period before the electoral rolls closed in (a) 1996, (b) 1998, and (c) 2001.

(5) In respect of the statement in the report that “to date the Committee has had no evidence to indicate there has been widespread electoral fraud”, is the Minister aware of evidence of widespread electoral fraud at any recent Federal Election.

(6) Will the Minister ensure that the Government’s proposed changes to Australia’s electoral system will not disenfranchise any Australian citizen.