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Wednesday, 22 October 1919

Mr FENTON (Maribyrnong) .- I do not know' whether the Minister for Home and Territories (Mr. Glynn) is aware that electoral officials in the country are striking off the rolls the names of soldiers who are absent from the country.

Mr Glynn - I have never heard of it.

Mr FENTON - I understood that all electoral officers were instructed that the names of soldiers on active service should not be removed because of the fact that they are absent from the country. In order to avoid any complications in this regard, I suggest that the officers be definitely instructed on the point. I do not think the matter has come under the notice of the leading' electoral officials, for they are well aware of what ought to be done.

Mr Glynn - I have already said that every possible liberality will be observed in regard to technicalities of that sort.

Mr FENTON - Only last week I saw a letter from the wife of an officer, who is still on the other side of the world, stating, not only that his name had been objected to, but that it had actually been struck off the roll, on the ground that he is an absentee.

Mr Glynn - There may be some individual mistakes.

Mr FENTON - I merely mention the matter so that no injustice may be done in the future. Do I understand that this

Bill is to give a vote to soldiers whether or not they are twenty-one years of age?

Mr Glynn - Yes. At present they can vote, but they must be on the electoral roll. This Bill facilitates their voting, although they may not be on the roll.

Mr FENTON - Do I understand that this Bill does not remove the disqualification from Australian-born persons of German parentage ?

Mr Glynn - They are not disqualified

Mr Jowett - They never were disqualified.

Mr FENTON - I have in my mini the case which occurred in the electorate of the honorable member for Grampian-. (Mr. Jowett). This person, who was bornin Australia of German parents, is the father of a lad by whom the supreme sacrifice was made at the Front, and yet he has to go through what he considers humiliating forms in order to obtain the right to vote.

Mr Fleming - In what way are they humiliating ?

Mr FENTON - This man has proved himself a good Australiancitizen, and the forms to which I refer are felt by him to be humiliating.

Mr Fleming - There must always be some hard cases.

Mr FENTON - There are hard cases, not only connected with people of German parentage, but with others.

Mr Fleming - It is better to have hard cases than go too far the other way.

Mr FENTON - Many men who are as good Australian citizens as I have met, decline to go through these humiliating forms in order to get a vote.

Mr Fleming - If they think so little of the vote, they had better stay off the roll.

Mr FENTON - They think much of the vote, but object to the humiliation.

I hope that in the taking of the soldiers' vote nothing will be resorted to of a distasteful nature. Many things, were written and said during the conscription campaign that reflected little credit on these responsible. It seems strange that in Australia, where we boast of our freedom, we cannot fight our elections on political principles, which are very often put in the background while extraneous questions are introduced for the purpose of influencing the decision. We ought to fight " fair and square," particularly when we are appealing so the soldiers, and the fighting has not been fair and square in past elections. Notwithstanding many misstatements made for the purpose of misleading the soldiers abroad , when the conscription question was before us,I find that they gave a very even vote, there being 103,000 in favour and 93,910 against. It oughtto be remembered by people who cast reflections on those who, in accordance with their convictions, voted against conscription, that they are also casting reflections on nearly 100,000 soldiers who voted the other way. An accurate and fair statement of the position should be put before the soldiers, who should then be allowed , to vote according to their judgment and conscience. So long as the Minister for Home and Territories is at the helm of the Electoral administration, I know that he will not allow any interference by the Prime Minister (Mr. Hughes) or any other Minister.

Mr Glynn - It has never been done while I have been in control of the Department.

Mr FENTON - Whether it was behind his back or not, something has been done since the Minister has been in control of the Department. However, I have every confidence that he will deal out even-handed justice to all parties.

Mr LAIRD SMITH (DENISON, TASMANIA) - And we have every confidence in the Electoral Officers.

Mr FENTON - I was speaking of the Ministerial head. Very often things are done contrary to the advice of the Electoral Officers. I think the time has arrived when the Chief Electoral Officer should be placed high and dry above any Ministerial influence. He has certain Statutes to administer, and should be in a position to tell any Minister to stand aside so that the law maybe carried out.

Mr LAIRD SMITH (DENISON, TASMANIA) - The Chief Electoral Officer did that when Mr. King O'Malley was Minister.

Mr FENTON - Yes; and I believe he would do it again. Unfortunately, outside the instructions of the Chief Electoral Officer, or even of the Minister, the Prime Minister has taken certain action which was not in accord with the Electoral law, and was a violation of those principles which should be our guide at election times.

Mr Glynn - He has certainly never done so while I have been administering the Department.

Mr FENTON - I do not know that the Minister had control of affairs in regard to the issue of literature.

Mr Glynn - That has nothing to do with the Electoral Branch of the Department.

Mr FENTON - In many cases, it seems to me that the issue of literature is a violation of the Act. It is certainly an undesirable practice. Provisions which were included in the law by the Fisher Government limit the possibility of influencing votes in a manner which is altogether wrong, and I am glad to see that the present Government have retained those sections. I am satisfied that, if the Minister says to every one else, ' Hands off ! I am the gentleman who is responsible for the conduct of this election," a fair deal will be meted out to the electors. We want the election to be a clean one, and we do not want those matters introduced which are likely to influence the voters in a wrong way. Let us fight the election on principles.

 

 

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time.

In Committee :

Clauses 1 to 3 agreed to.

Clause 4 (Definitions and Citation) -

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