Senate debates

Monday, 14 August 2017

Committees

Finance and Public Administration References Committee; Reference

4:30 pm

Photo of Louise PrattLouise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Rice, move:

That arrangements relating to the collection of statistical information on the views of all Australians on the electoral roll on whether or not the law should be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry, as announced by the Government (the postal survey), be referred to the Finance and Public Administration References Committee for inquiry and report by the second sitting Tuesday in February 2018, with particular reference to:

(a) what information will be collected and how it will be collected, aggregated and reported;

(b) what departments and agencies will be involved and what resources will be provided;

(c) the legislative basis for the collection and how matters such as advertising, fraud, access to the roll and privacy will be regulated;

(d) the integrity of the roll and the potential for disenfranchisement of voters;

(e) protections against offensive, misleading or intimidating material or behaviour, especially towards affected communities;

(f) how issues incurred during the collection will be addressed;

(g) whether the information will be stored and what controls on future access will apply;

(h) all aspects of the conduct of the collection and related matters; and

(i) proposals for use of the information obtained, including to inform future legislation.

Question agreed to.