❓ Question regarding incorrect BPAY details on failure to vote penalty notices issued after the March state election. The Minister clarifies the extent of the error, its resolution, and associated costs.
AnsweredQoN 261Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
STATE ELECTION — FAILURE TO VOTE —
PENALTIES
261. Hon KATE DOUST to the Minister for Electoral Affairs:
I refer to the issuing of penalty notices to people who
apparently failed to vote in the March state election.
(1) Is the
minister aware of incorrect BPAY details being sent to people who apparently
failed to vote?
(2) How many
notices in total were sent, and how many incorrect notices were sent?
(3) How will
the government recover any money paid to the Department of Natural Resources
and Mines in Queensland because of the error?
(4) What is
the estimated cost to the state of recovering any money?
(5) What is
the cost of any additional resources, including staff, required by the
Electoral Commission to deal with this error?
PENALTIES
261. Hon KATE DOUST to the Minister for Electoral Affairs:
I refer to the issuing of penalty notices to people who
apparently failed to vote in the March state election.
(1) Is the
minister aware of incorrect BPAY details being sent to people who apparently
failed to vote?
(2) How many
notices in total were sent, and how many incorrect notices were sent?
(3) How will
the government recover any money paid to the Department of Natural Resources
and Mines in Queensland because of the error?
(4) What is
the estimated cost to the state of recovering any money?
(5) What is
the cost of any additional resources, including staff, required by the
Electoral Commission to deal with this error?
AnswerView source ↗
(1) My office
was alerted about the problem by the Western Australian Electoral Commission.
(2) In total,
89 231 apparent failure to vote notices were issued. Of those, 69 456 related
to a $20 penalty and 19 775 related to a $50 penalty. The problem was resolved
seamlessly in respect of the $20 penalty notices. The biller code number on the
$50 penalty notices remains unusable. Other payment options remain available to
notice recipients, and an individual who contacts the commission about this
issue will be provided with an alternative biller code number should they still
wish to pay the fine online.
(3) Not
applicable. No payments went to the Department of Natural Resources and Mines
in Queensland.
(4) Not
applicable.
(5) No
additional resources have been required.
was alerted about the problem by the Western Australian Electoral Commission.
(2) In total,
89 231 apparent failure to vote notices were issued. Of those, 69 456 related
to a $20 penalty and 19 775 related to a $50 penalty. The problem was resolved
seamlessly in respect of the $20 penalty notices. The biller code number on the
$50 penalty notices remains unusable. Other payment options remain available to
notice recipients, and an individual who contacts the commission about this
issue will be provided with an alternative biller code number should they still
wish to pay the fine online.
(3) Not
applicable. No payments went to the Department of Natural Resources and Mines
in Queensland.
(4) Not
applicable.
(5) No
additional resources have been required.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.