James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to table an explanatory memorandum relating to the bill.

Leave granted.

I table an explanatory memorandum and seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

We are blessed to live in one of the oldest and most successful democracies in the world. The strength of our electoral system works because over a century a lot of people, paid and unpaid, have worked to make it so through blood, sweat and tears.

Our system relies on openness and transparency. Elections should not only be fair, open, and transparent, but seen to be so. We must always work to fine-tune our electoral system.

There is currently no requirement for Australians to produce voter identification when participating in federal elections, making our electoral system vulnerable to manipulation.

If it is within the power of this Parliament to remedy flaws and vulnerabilities in our electoral system, then it should do so.

Addressing vulnerabilities in our electoral system and ensuring the sanctity of the ballot should be an issue that transcends party lines.

As Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, I am pleased to present the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Voter Identification) Bill 2022, which will introduce Voter ID in federal elections.

The measures in this Bill mirror those in the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Voter Integrity) Bill 2021 and will bring the Australian electoral system into line with voter identification practices of other liberal democracies such as Canada and Sweden.

This Bill introduces a definition of 'proof of identity document' into the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, and the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984, which include a broad range of acceptable identification, including digital equivalents.

The definition of what constitutes a proof of identity document is reasonable and proportionate to ensure that voter identification is accessible to all voters.

Should an elector fail to provide a proof of identity document, then this Bill prescribes how another enrolled elector can attest to that person's identity. Alternatively, the person claiming to vote may instead cast a provisional vote as per the normal declaration process.

A voter will never be denied the opportunity to vote.

This Bill works to improve our electoral system and responds recommendations of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters reports into the conduct of the 2013, 2016 and 2019 elections, that demonstrate that there is grave community concern about the lack of voter identification required at elections, undermining confidence in our electoral system.

The amendments introduced by this Bill will increase confidence in our electoral system, ensure democratic processes aren't exploited, and provide an obstacle to those who would seek to manipulate it.

Australians should be exercising their franchise accurately, and in the way intended - only once.

This Bill, and the amendments it introduces, is imperative to restoring confidence in our electoral system.

I commend the Bill to the Senate.

I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.