Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

No, he was not charged because he was able to demonstrate that he had only voted once, but the other two votes where people used his name to cast their ballot remained legitimate votes. They were not withdrawn because no-one knew who or what those ballots were or where the voters were. Two votes were counted, and no-one knows who cast them.

By making this amendment, we are saying: if you want to potentially rort the system, do it by turning up and casting a provisional vote, because no-one is going to check your identification as to whether you are legitimately able to cast that vote or not. This is not the type of electoral system that we need here in this country. People have confidence in our electoral system. The integrity of our electoral system is seen as world class; yet, this is an area that has been identified as having some risk of fraudulent behaviour. The government is saying, ‘We’re going to open it up and make it easier for fraud to take place. We’re not going to put in one little small requirement that you need to show identification after seven days.’ What this government needs to say is, ‘There seems to be some risk here of fraudulent behaviour.’ Instead it is going to make that risk greater and put that system at further risk of losing its world-class reputation.

Sadly, the fact that this change is coming from the Gillard government should make the Australian people very worried. Everything that the government do turns into a mess and the fact that they are meddling in our voting system, which is seen to be world class, sends shivers up my spine. Are we going to see a pink batts fiasco? Are we going to see a BER fiasco? Look at the record of the government: everything they touch turns into disaster. I am worried that we are going to see another disaster with this change to something that is absolutely vital to the very fabric of Australian society—our democratic processes.

These changes were brought about in 2006 because they were required to protect the integrity of our voting system The only reason the government want to change these laws is that they know that any rorting that will take place is more likely to benefit them than anyone else. This change is a sham.

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