Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Standing Committee on Procedure, I present the committee's report entitled Division required? Electronic voting in the House of Representatives, together with the minutes of proceedings.

Ordered that the report be made a parliamentary paper.

I am pleased to present the Procedure Committee's report into electronic voting in the House of Representatives. Electronic voting has been considered a real possibility for the House of Representatives for many years. In fact, provision was made for the future implementation of electronic voting when Parliament House was designed and built. Despite a number of inquiries, including by past Procedure Committees, the House has been unable to come to a final decision on the matter.

There has been reluctance in the past to introduce technology into the House of Representatives chamber. In recent years, however, there has been a cultural shift in this place which has seen members embrace the possibilities that technology provides us. Throughout this inquiry, the committee sought the views of all members on the question of electronic voting and it is clear that 'the ayes have it'. Members are ready to embrace the technology available to us to modernise voting procedures in the House of Representatives.

While members have offered their in-principle support for electronic voting, the committee does not wish to see voting procedures which are valued by members and observers of proceedings abandoned. There is no question, for example, that members must continue to attend the chamber to vote, with the exception of nursing mothers who may vote by proxy. The committee also feels strongly that members should continue to move to the right and the left of the chair to vote. This practice is a symbolic and meaningful act, particularly when a member 'crosses the floor' or when there is a conscience vote. Divisions also have the practical benefit of indicating to members which way their colleagues are voting and add interest for observers of proceedings.

This report considers a number of technology options for electronic voting in the House of Representatives chamber. The committee has determined that the most practical option, which warrants further investigation, is voting by touch or swipe cards or electronic tokens. The committee proposes that after the bells have stopped ringing and the doors locked, members would move to the right or left of the chair and register their vote by touching their individual voting card on readers at any seat. This method would maintain traditional voting procedures but would automate the count, saving time and allowing for the immediate distribution and publication of accurate results. The committee has also recommended that the results of divisions be displayed on screens within the chamber, for the benefit of members and observers of proceedings.

While further investigation into technology options, costs and heritage issues is needed, the committee proposes that the time for action on electronic voting has come. Introducing electronic voting into the House of Representatives chamber will save the time of the House, will allow for the immediate availability of accurate results and will demonstrate that the House is willing to embrace technological change to enhance its procedures while maintaining valued traditions and practices.

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