Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Why is the Prime Minister seeking to suppress Australians' right to vote and importing Trump-style attacks on democracy into Australian politics on the eve of an election? Given the Australian Electoral Commission has confirmed that there were no prosecutions, not one, for multiple voting at the last election, isn't the only reason the Prime Minister is doing this is to deny many Australians a vote, particularly those from remote communities?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll ask the Special Minister of State to address the bill that has been put forward, based on the recommendations of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, not once but twice. The proposition that the government seeks to progress, based on that recommendation, is that people who go to vote should be able to say who they are and prove who they are in a democracy.

These are policies that are pursued by Canada—and the last time I saw him, I didn't notice Justin Trudeau looking very much like the former President of the United States. We respect them both. We respect all of our partners' leaders, because they're democratically elected, with a democratic process which has integrity. The vote-saving provisions under the declaration votes, as the Leader of the Opposition would well know, will ensure that, under our proposals, every vote will count and every vote will matter. You've got to really ask yourself why those opposite don't want people to have to prove who they are when they vote.

Ben Morton (Tangney, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister and Cabinet) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You really have to wonder why the Labor Party this morning took action against the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Voter Integrity) Bill 2021 before even reading it. What is it that scares them so much about having integrity in our electoral system? Not only did JSCEM recommend this in 2019; it also recommended it in 2016 after the election. I actually thought that the report after the 2013 election was very well written, and I'd refer members to it. The bill will ensure that the Australian electoral system comes into line with other liberal democracies, like Canada, France, Belgium, Sweden and all but 14 states in the US. The United Kingdom is introducing this legislation. But, before the Labor Party even see the detail on this bill, they are in here trashing it. Interestingly, in Queensland, in the last three elections, there has been one instance of requiring voter ID, and in that election there was a higher turnout than in the two subsequent elections without it.

The Labor Party are against this for all the wrong reasons, and one has to wonder why they are. You have to show ID to pick up a parcel at the post office, yet this lot won't allow more integrity in our electoral system to ensure that the right people are having their names marked off the roll. I have to question the motivation of those opposite. Taking action this morning against the bill, before you see the detail—it makes you wonder.