David Leyonhjelm (NSW, Liberal Democratic Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move amendment (1) on sheet 7867 standing in my name:

(1) Schedule 1, page 26 (after line 26), at the end of the Schedule, add:

Part 4—Voluntary enrolment and voting

Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918

96 Subsection 85(2)

  Omit "and otherwise to comply with the regulations relating to compulsory enrolment".

97 Section 101

  Repeal the section, substitute:

101 Voluntary enrolment

      A person who is entitled to be enrolled for any Subdivision, otherwise than by virtue of section 94, 94A, 95, 96 or 100, whether by way of enrolment or transfer of enrolment may fill in and sign a claim and send or deliver it to the Electoral Commissioner.

98 Section 245

  Repeal the section, substitute:

245 Voting to be voluntary

     An elector may vote at an election.

99 Section 387A

  Repeal the section.

100 Section 388

  Repeal the section.

101 Paragraphs 393A(1)(f) and (g)

  Repeal the paragraphs, substitute:

  (f) pre-poll vote certificates for declaration voting.

102 Paragraph 395(b)

  Repeal the section.

103 Transitional provision

  Despite the amendment or repeal of a provision of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 by this Part, that provision continues to apply, after the commencement of this item, in relation to:

  (a) an offence committed before the commencement of this item; or

  (b) proceedings for an offence alleged to have been committed before the commencement of this item; or

  (c) any matter connected with, or arising out of, such proceedings;

as if the amendment or repeal had not been made.

Chair, you have the right to remain silent, but a government violates your rights if it forces you to be silent by putting gaffer tape over your mouth. You have a right to privacy, but a government violates your rights if it forces you to be private by locking you in a padded cell. And you have a right to vote, but a government violates your rights if it forces you to vote by making non-enrolment and non-voting an offence. My amendment makes enrolment and voting voluntary. Forcing people to vote when they are dissatisfied with the options available is a practice straight out of the authoritarian handbook. This bill's changes to Senate voting rules will discourage new parties from forming, so that voters will have even less choice in the future than now. It is unconscionable that, when the options available to Australians are effectively reduced to the Liberal-Nationals-Greens coalition or Labor that Australians are not given the option of 'None of the above'. I commend my amendment to the Senate.