22 February, 2019

Electoral Commissioner Locked Bag 4007 CANBERRA ACT 2601

By Email: [email protected]

Dear Commissioner

I write in my capacity as the federal director of the Australian Conservatives Party to object strongly to Senator Anning’s proposed registration of ‘Fraser Anning’s Conservative National Party’.

The applicant proposes running with the abbreviation ‘The Conservative Nationals’ on ballot papers and in its party promotional material.

The Australian Conservatives have run in elections with the abbreviated phrase ‘Conservatives’ on ballot papers. We have regularly used the term ‘The Conservatives’ and ‘The Conservative Party’ in our electorate communications.

I note the National Party have used similar variations of their ‘Nationals’ brand in elections and electorate communications.

The applicant’s proposed name and abbreviation risks confusing voters and implies:

1. a merger or alliance of ourselves and the National Party, 2. an association between the applicant and ourselves

The reasonable person would assume, seeing ‘The Conservative Nationals’ name on the ballot paper, that one or both of the foregoing implications apply. This could lead to either a vote for the applicant’s party under a mistaken assumption, or confuse the voter such that they decline to vote for the applicant or our party and vote for someone else.

Further, the random placement of parties on a ballot paper, particularly a senate paper, could also see voters choose the first Party on the ballot paper with a name similar to what they are expecting to find. In short, the name attempts to pass off on the electoral and public efforts of our party and the National Party to instead secure election for the applicant’s candidates.

It is also concerning that voters might assume a relationship between the applicant and the Australian Conservatives. The Australian Conservatives have contested elections as ‘Conservatives’ on ballot papers and participated in the national political debate as ‘Conservatives’.

CLF House | 28 King William Street Kent Town SA 5067 www.conservatives.org.au | | ABN 26 615 913 455