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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-23 Daily Xml
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ELECTORAL (OPTIONAL PREFERENTIAL VOTING) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 24 June 2010.)

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (11:28): I rise to oppose the Electoral (Optional Preferential Voting) Amendment Bill 2010. This bill would replace the current preferential voting system—effectively, full and compulsory differential voting—with a form of optional preferential voting. The bill would replace sections 76(1)(a) and (2) of the Electoral Act with new provisions.

The existing provisions require that an elector, when voting below the line in an election for the other place, or when voting in a House of Assembly election, to indicate on the ballot paper his or her order of preference for all candidates. The proposed new provisions provide that an elector need not indicate his or her order of preference for all candidates. Rather, the elector must indicate his or her first preference by (as now) placing the number 1 next to that candidate's name in the relevant square on the ballot paper.

The elector may, in elections for the House of Assembly, then indicate his or her preference for all or some of the other candidates by placing the number 2 and consecutive numbers in the squares opposite their names, but need not do so. It would be optional for the voter to indicate his or her preferences for some or all of the other candidates. In elections for another place, the voter need only vote for the number of candidates required to be elected.

The government supports the retention of the present compulsory preferential voting system for both the House of Assembly and the other place, as it has advantages over the optional preferential model that is proposed. First, the introduction of optional preferential voting would apply only to state elections. Compulsory preferential voting would continue to apply to federal polls. Electors would have to vote under two different systems in federal and state elections. This would only add to voter confusion and increase the informal vote. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

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