Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Hansard source

It would mean that the yes-no case could be sent to households, as distinct from electors. As I said in my second reading speech, we believe that it is imperative that the concept of an elector is fundamental to the proper carrying out of an election and, indeed, of a referendum. So we believe that it is vitally important that this provision be removed so that we may return to the situation of the 1984 act, whereby every elector would receive the yes-no case. It would also prevent the Electoral Commissioner from making decisions about which address he may deem the fit one to send material to. As I pointed out in my second reading speech, with regard to emails, there is no available email register. There is no proper knowledge of which people have email addresses and which do not. At this stage, for 2013—it may be different in the future—we should maintain the position of posting, not sending, the yes-no case to every elector as an individual.

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