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

I actually directly addressed that point in my initial comments to your amendments, Senator Xenophon. Just to make it clear again: this bill gives the Electoral Commissioner the power to make a legislative instrument prescribing certain matters. It doesn't mean that the Electoral Commissioner has to exercise these powers, but he can. The legislative instrument can prescribe, amongst other things, a requirement in relation to when and how the authorisations in the context of voice calls are most appropriately made.

As I said in my remarks, while it would ultimately be a matter for the Electoral Commissioner, the government certainly agrees that the logical place for the authorisation of such communication to take place is at the start of the call. But we believe that the legislation in front of the parliament, which responds to relevant recommendations from the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters and extends, for the first time, the authorisation of electoral matter to include bulk voice calls, gives the Electoral Commissioner all of the necessary powers which he or she exercises independently to make relevant arrangements in relation to the authorisation of robocalls.