❓ Mr Pendal raises concerns about the use of confidential constituent data from the joint parliamentary electoral roll by political parties, specifically regarding programs called Feedback and Electrack. The Premier acknowledges the concerns and outlines existing legislation and planned amendments to address privacy issues.
AnsweredQoN 2178Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the Premier aware that Western Australia operates a joint parliamentary electoral roll with the Federal Government?
(2) Is the Premier and the State Electoral Commission aware that that roll is combined with confidential data to produce programs called Feedback (for the Liberal Party) and Electrack (for the Labor Party) by which confidential information given to MPs’ offices is conveyed back to party headquarters in a manner not authorised by, and unknown to, the constituents?
(3) Does the Premier accept that conveying of such data given to MPs in a confidential manner amounts to a breach of confidence on the part of the political parties?
(4) Will the Premier confirm that the taxpayer-funded electorate offices of Members of the Western Australian Parliament are not used to similarly pass confidential constituent data such as full names, dates of birth, gender and home telephone numbers back to party headquarters?
(5) Does it concern the Premier that a data base (the consolidated electoral rolls) of which the State of Western Australia is the co-owner are being used, at least by Federal MPs, and possibly by State MPs, in a way that breaches common notions of confidentiality?
(6) Given that Federal MPs have given themselves a Privacy Act exemption to allow them to pass on such data to party headquarters, will the Premier take steps to ensure that no such data from State MPs is passed back to parties’ headquarters?
(2) Is the Premier and the State Electoral Commission aware that that roll is combined with confidential data to produce programs called Feedback (for the Liberal Party) and Electrack (for the Labor Party) by which confidential information given to MPs’ offices is conveyed back to party headquarters in a manner not authorised by, and unknown to, the constituents?
(3) Does the Premier accept that conveying of such data given to MPs in a confidential manner amounts to a breach of confidence on the part of the political parties?
(4) Will the Premier confirm that the taxpayer-funded electorate offices of Members of the Western Australian Parliament are not used to similarly pass confidential constituent data such as full names, dates of birth, gender and home telephone numbers back to party headquarters?
(5) Does it concern the Premier that a data base (the consolidated electoral rolls) of which the State of Western Australia is the co-owner are being used, at least by Federal MPs, and possibly by State MPs, in a way that breaches common notions of confidentiality?
(6) Given that Federal MPs have given themselves a Privacy Act exemption to allow them to pass on such data to party headquarters, will the Premier take steps to ensure that no such data from State MPs is passed back to parties’ headquarters?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
2 March 2004
Response time
132 days
However, a Commonwealth-State agreement provides for a single enrolment procedure to operate, such that each elector need only complete one enrolment card to ensure that his or her details are entered onto the separately maintained Commonwealth and State electoral rolls. (2) The Electoral Act 1907 (WA) and the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 both set out entitlements of members of Parliament and political parties to receive electoral roll information. The enrolment form that electors complete contains advice about who has access to electoral information. (3) See above. (4) Under the Electoral Act 1907, the Electoral Commissioner must provide to members and parties specified information. This includes full names, enrolled and postal address, gender, and occupation. Home telephone numbers are not held by the Western Australian Electoral Commission and date of birth details are exempt from the provisions. (5) & (6) The handling of Federal electoral roll data is a matter for the Federal Parliament and the Australian Electoral Commission. I am not aware of any breaches of confidentiality by State members. However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
(2) The Electoral Act 1907 (WA) and the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 both set out entitlements of members of Parliament and political parties to receive electoral roll information. The enrolment form that electors complete contains advice about who has access to electoral information. (3) See above. (4) Under the Electoral Act 1907, the Electoral Commissioner must provide to members and parties specified information. This includes full names, enrolled and postal address, gender, and occupation. Home telephone numbers are not held by the Western Australian Electoral Commission and date of birth details are exempt from the provisions. (5) & (6) The handling of Federal electoral roll data is a matter for the Federal Parliament and the Australian Electoral Commission. I am not aware of any breaches of confidentiality by State members. However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
(3) See above. (4) Under the Electoral Act 1907, the Electoral Commissioner must provide to members and parties specified information. This includes full names, enrolled and postal address, gender, and occupation. Home telephone numbers are not held by the Western Australian Electoral Commission and date of birth details are exempt from the provisions. (5) & (6) The handling of Federal electoral roll data is a matter for the Federal Parliament and the Australian Electoral Commission. I am not aware of any breaches of confidentiality by State members. However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
(4) Under the Electoral Act 1907, the Electoral Commissioner must provide to members and parties specified information. This includes full names, enrolled and postal address, gender, and occupation. Home telephone numbers are not held by the Western Australian Electoral Commission and date of birth details are exempt from the provisions. (5) & (6) The handling of Federal electoral roll data is a matter for the Federal Parliament and the Australian Electoral Commission. I am not aware of any breaches of confidentiality by State members. However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
(5) & (6) The handling of Federal electoral roll data is a matter for the Federal Parliament and the Australian Electoral Commission. I am not aware of any breaches of confidentiality by State members. However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
The handling of Federal electoral roll data is a matter for the Federal Parliament and the Australian Electoral Commission. I am not aware of any breaches of confidentiality by State members. However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
(2) The Electoral Act 1907 (WA) and the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 both set out entitlements of members of Parliament and political parties to receive electoral roll information. The enrolment form that electors complete contains advice about who has access to electoral information. (3) See above. (4) Under the Electoral Act 1907, the Electoral Commissioner must provide to members and parties specified information. This includes full names, enrolled and postal address, gender, and occupation. Home telephone numbers are not held by the Western Australian Electoral Commission and date of birth details are exempt from the provisions. (5) & (6) The handling of Federal electoral roll data is a matter for the Federal Parliament and the Australian Electoral Commission. I am not aware of any breaches of confidentiality by State members. However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
(3) See above. (4) Under the Electoral Act 1907, the Electoral Commissioner must provide to members and parties specified information. This includes full names, enrolled and postal address, gender, and occupation. Home telephone numbers are not held by the Western Australian Electoral Commission and date of birth details are exempt from the provisions. (5) & (6) The handling of Federal electoral roll data is a matter for the Federal Parliament and the Australian Electoral Commission. I am not aware of any breaches of confidentiality by State members. However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
(4) Under the Electoral Act 1907, the Electoral Commissioner must provide to members and parties specified information. This includes full names, enrolled and postal address, gender, and occupation. Home telephone numbers are not held by the Western Australian Electoral Commission and date of birth details are exempt from the provisions. (5) & (6) The handling of Federal electoral roll data is a matter for the Federal Parliament and the Australian Electoral Commission. I am not aware of any breaches of confidentiality by State members. However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
(5) & (6) The handling of Federal electoral roll data is a matter for the Federal Parliament and the Australian Electoral Commission. I am not aware of any breaches of confidentiality by State members. However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
The handling of Federal electoral roll data is a matter for the Federal Parliament and the Australian Electoral Commission. I am not aware of any breaches of confidentiality by State members. However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
However in 2003, in response to growing community concerns about privacy, Cabinet endorsed the drafting of amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 to better deal with the question of privacy and provision of electoral roll information. In addition, the Government is also considering the introduction of State-wide privacy legislation. I invite the Honourable Member to make a submission to the Attorney General and Minister for Electoral Affairs should he have any particular views about this.
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