Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is probably more supportive of you, Senator Carr, than it is of me. But I do respect Professor George Williams, who is the Anthony Mason Professor and Director of the Gilbert and Tobin Centre of Public Law at the University of New South Wales. Many senators will know that Professor Williams is a learned commentator on constitutional and public law matters. He said this:

For many first-time voters the calling of an election and the media attention it attracts are what prompts them to join the electoral roll.

I think Senator Carr made that point this morning.

It is difficult enough to encourage some Australians to take part in elections, so it makes no sense to turn them away at the very time they are most motivated to take steps to vote.

Both the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters and, indeed, the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee heard evidence from the Australian Electoral Commission that they believe that, with sufficient public awareness campaigns, people would be far more likely to fulfil their obligations and enrol at the appropriate time. Sure, we are going to have to see how that works, but that was certainly the evidence that we received.

Secondly—and I must say this in Professor Williams’s defence: as an honest academic, he does quote Senator Abetz who, of course, is the former Special Minister of State and who justified this change on the following basis. I quote Senator Abetz from the article:

... during the rush to enrol in the week following the announcement of a general election, incredible pressure is placed on the Australian Electoral Commission’s ability to accurately check and assess the veracity of enrolment claims received.

Even Professor Williams says this is a real issue, but—