Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Xenophon. We have been going around and around and around and around on this issue for seven or eight hours. Indeed, several senators who have repeatedly asked questions have quoted evidence from the Electoral Commissioner as if they did not know the answer. What I have said repeatedly, and I think what you agreed with, Senator Xenophon, in your contribution before midnight, that in our judgement the current prohibition of misleading and deceptive conduct in relation to casting a vote that is contained in section 329 of the Electoral Act, together with the guidance that is provided to voters on the ballot paper—to vote above the line, to number six boxes between 1 and 6—together with the education campaign, which will inform voters on how to vote above the line in the Senate, and together with the fact that, as you say, parties would be quite silly if they did not try to provide information on how to vote to their voters consistent with what is on the ballot paper, provides sufficient safeguards.

As I have said to Senator Wong, Senator Bob Day and to various other senators on repeated occasions: we do not believe there is a case for further amendment to include additional offences and penalties in this bill. We think that the current framework and the current policy and the current arrangements are adequate to ensure that voters are protected from misleading and deceptive conduct.