❓ Hon Neil Thomson questions the Electoral Affairs Minister regarding the electoral roll maintenance, particularly concerning Aboriginal voter enrolment and its impact on electoral boundary distributions. The Minister defends the independence of the Electoral Distribution Commission.
AnsweredQoN 834Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ELECTORAL ROLLS — MAINTENANCE
834. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the parliamentary secretary representing the
Minister for Electoral Affairs:
I note positive reports of an
increasing number of Aboriginal people on the electoral roll as a result of the
Voice campaign. I also note the answer to Hon Tjorn Sibma's question
without notice 740 on 22 June 2023, which confirmed that 18 514 Aboriginal
people of eligible voting age are not enrolled.
(1) What date of
electoral enrolment did the Western Australian Electoral Distribution
Commission use to assess the recommended boundary distributions that have been
published for community consideration?
(2) Given the
huge underestimate of eligible voters on the roll previously, will the
Electoral Distribution Commission update the calculation of variations on
average district enrolment prior to finalising boundary distributions?
(3) How can the
Cook Labor government support the removal of parliamentary representation from
seats with a high proportion of Aboriginal people while it simultaneously
claims to support improving Indigenous representation?
834. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the parliamentary secretary representing the
Minister for Electoral Affairs:
I note positive reports of an
increasing number of Aboriginal people on the electoral roll as a result of the
Voice campaign. I also note the answer to Hon Tjorn Sibma's question
without notice 740 on 22 June 2023, which confirmed that 18 514 Aboriginal
people of eligible voting age are not enrolled.
(1) What date of
electoral enrolment did the Western Australian Electoral Distribution
Commission use to assess the recommended boundary distributions that have been
published for community consideration?
(2) Given the
huge underestimate of eligible voters on the roll previously, will the
Electoral Distribution Commission update the calculation of variations on
average district enrolment prior to finalising boundary distributions?
(3) How can the
Cook Labor government support the removal of parliamentary representation from
seats with a high proportion of Aboriginal people while it simultaneously
claims to support improving Indigenous representation?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following response, which I provide on behalf
of the parliamentary secretary, has been provided by the Minister for Electoral
Affairs.
(1) The date was
13 March 2023.
(2) No. The
determination of the relevant day is set out in section 16E of the Electoral
Act 1907, which states that the state must be divided into districts as soon as
practicable after the day that is two years after polling day for each general
election for the Assembly. The roll closure for the distribution took place on
the relevant day, which was 13 March 2023, in accordance with the act.
(3) The member's question is ill-conceived.
The decision of where seats will be and where electoral boundaries are drawn is determined by the Western Australian
Electoral Distribution Commission. The commissioners are entirely
independent of government and government has no influence over the final
determination of electoral boundaries.
Several members
interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order,
members! Can we have some quiet while the member asks his question. Hon James
Hayward has the call.
some notice of the question. The following response, which I provide on behalf
of the parliamentary secretary, has been provided by the Minister for Electoral
Affairs.
(1) The date was
13 March 2023.
(2) No. The
determination of the relevant day is set out in section 16E of the Electoral
Act 1907, which states that the state must be divided into districts as soon as
practicable after the day that is two years after polling day for each general
election for the Assembly. The roll closure for the distribution took place on
the relevant day, which was 13 March 2023, in accordance with the act.
(3) The member's question is ill-conceived.
The decision of where seats will be and where electoral boundaries are drawn is determined by the Western Australian
Electoral Distribution Commission. The commissioners are entirely
independent of government and government has no influence over the final
determination of electoral boundaries.
Several members
interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order,
members! Can we have some quiet while the member asks his question. Hon James
Hayward has the call.
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