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

Clearly, I did not make myself understood well enough. The trigger in the amendment in terms of the commencement date is a polling day after 1 July 2016. The specific answer to Senator Wong's question is that, during the pre-poll, the ballot papers will be the same as the ballot papers on a polling day post 1 July. The reason for that is that pre-poll is an integral part of the election process leading to polling day. It cannot be said that that is a retrospective application whatsoever. As you have already indicated, relevant parts of the bill, if it is passed by the Senate, will take effect upon royal assent. This amendment means that these provisions, these revised arrangements, these improved arrangements, these arrangements which will empower the voters to determine what happens to their preferences, will not be able to be used for a polling day prior to 1 July 2016. Obviously, in the context of any election, there is a very much established process that is very well laid out in the legislation, from the issuing of the writs to polling day and, indeed, through the return of the writs, post polling day. So there is a well-established process. But the black-and-white effect of the amendment that the Greens have moved here is that the revised arrangements under this bill could not take effect in an election with a polling day prior to 1 July 2016.