Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Labor will be supporting the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Contingency Measures) Bill 2021. The bill has come about from a recommendation by the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters from its inquiry into the conduct of elections during times of emergency situations. The coronavirus pandemic was the obvious catalyst for that inquiry, but we know that climate change means we will increasingly be experiencing catastrophic bushfires and floods, and the Electoral Commission must be able to conduct elections safely in these times of emergency. This bill assists them to do that.

The Electoral Legislation Amendment (Contingency Measures) Bill will give the electoral commissioner additional flexibility for the conducting of an election. It will allow the electoral commissioner to extend the prepoll period, expand the reasons a person may exercise a prepoll or postal vote, adjust the numbers of scrutineers, and allow candidates and volunteers to travel for the purposes of canvassing for votes, handing out how-to-vote cards and putting up election posters. Providing the electoral commissioner with contingency powers will ensure that if there is an emergency situation the core activities required for an election can still be conducted. It will also ensure the safety of voters, candidates and their volunteers, and the 100,000 AEC staff that will be required at the next election.