Bob Day (SA, Family First Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move amendments (1) to (4) on sheet 7862 together:

(1) Schedule 1, item 23, page 6 (line 25) to page 7 (line 9), omit subsections 269(1) and (1A), substitute:

(1) A ballot paper in a Senate election is not informal under paragraph 268(1)(b) if the voter has marked the ballot paper in accordance with subsection 239(2).

(2) Schedule 1, item 24, page 7 (lines 11 to 13), to be opposed.

(3) Schedule 1, item 28, page 7 (line 26) to page 8 (line 17), omit subsections 272(1) and (2), substitute:

(1) This section applies if a ballot paper for a Senate election is marked in accordance with subsection 239(2).

(2) The ballot paper is taken to have been marked as if, instead of the numbers written in squares printed on the ballot paper above the line in relation to groups of candidates (each group being a preferenced group):

  (a) each candidate in a preferenced group was given a different number starting from 1; and

  (b) candidates in a preferenced group were numbered consecutively staring with the candidate whose name on the ballot paper is at the top of the group to the candidate whose name is at the bottom; and

  (c) the order in which candidates in different preferenced groups are numbered is worked out by reference to the order in which the groups were numbered on the ballot paper, starting with the group marked 1; and

  (d) when all the candidates in a preferenced group have been numbered, the candidate whose name is at the top of the next preferenced group is given the next consecutive number.

(4) Schedule 1, item 39, page 11 (lines 19 to 21), to be opposed.

These amendments remove the so-called savings provision. If it is good enough for the lower house to insist that all boxes be ticked, then it is certainly good enough for the upper house. This is simply setting up the system for a 'just vote 1' campaign and will facilitate—