AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION for Annual Report 2008 AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION – only 09 Archived Annual Report 2008–09 historical Australian Electoral Commission ABN 21 133 285 851 West Block Offices King George Terrace research Parkes ACT 2604 Email: [email protected] Website: www.aec.gov.au 2253AEC for AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSIONonly Archived Annual Report 2008–09 historical research Years serving 25 the Australian community for only Produced by: Australian Electoral Commission Printed by: Qote 02 6162 1258 Coordinated and edited by: WordsWorth Writing Pty Ltd (02) 6232 7511 ArchivedWeb address of this report: www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/publications Contact officer: Director, Governance, Assurance and Organisational Reporting Australian Electoral Commissionhistorical West Block Offices Queen Victoria Terrace Parkes ACT 2600 PO Box 6172 Kingston ACT 2604 Telephone: 02 6271 4411 Fax: 02 6271 4458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.aec.gov.au research ISSN: 0814-4508 © Commonwealth of Australia 2009 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Australian Government, available from the Attorney-General’s Department. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Copyright Law Branch, Attorney- General’s Department, National Circuit, Barton ACT 2601, or posted at http://www.ag.gov.au/cca. 28 September 2009 for Senator the Hon. Joe Ludwig Special Minister of State Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear Minister In accordance with section 17 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 we have pleasure in submitting the Australian Electoral Commission’s annual report and financial statements for the year ending 30 June 2009. only ArchivedYours sincerely historical research West Block Offices, Queen Victoria Terrace, Parkes ACT 2600 Years serving PO Box 6172, Kingston ACT 2604 the Australian community Tel 02 6271 4411 Fax 02 6271 4558 www.aec.gov.au ABN 21 133 285 851 25 for only Archived historical research AEC ANNUAL REPORT 2008–2009 | CONTENTS v Contents About this report vii Output 2.1.4 – Fee-for-service elections 59 Year in review 13 for Output 2.1.5 – Celebrating our 25th anniversary Industrial and Torres Strait – a retrospective 2 Regional Authority elections 63 Electoral Commissioner’s review 4 Output 2.1.6 – Advice and assistance in Summary of achievements 10 overseas elections 65 AEC overview 13 Report on performance: Outcome 3 71 About the AEC 14 Outcome 3 – Partnerships 22 An informed community 72 Output 3.1.1 – only Report on performance: Outcome 1 25 Electoral education centres 76 Outcome 1 – Output 3.1.2 – An effective electoral roll 26 School and community programs 80 Output 1.1.1 – Output 3.1.3 – Electoral roll management 29 Archived Communication strategies Output 1.1.2 – and services 86 Support services for electoralhistorical redistributions 41 Management and accountability 91 Report on performance: Outcome 2 45 Corporate governance 92 Support services 100 Outcome 2 – An impartial and independent External scrutiny 105 electoral system 46 Human resources 109 Output 2.1.1 – Providing access for people Federal elections, by-elections with disabilities 116 and referendums research49 Assets management 120 Output 2.1.2 – Purchasing 121 Party registrations 53 Grant programs 122 Output 2.1.3 – Consultants and contracts 122 Funding and disclosure services 56 vi CONTENTS | AEC ANNUAL REPORT 2008–09 Financial performance and References 219 future operations 126 Abbreviations and acronyms 220 Analysis of financial performance 126 Compliance index 221 Developments that have affected Alphabetical index 223 or may affect operations 126 Financial statements 129 Appendices 173 for Appendix A – Resources 174 Appendix B – Staffing 179 Appendix C – Occupational health and safety 184 Appendix D – Freedom of information 187 Appendix E – Advertising and market research 192 only Appendix F – Provision of electoral roll information 193 Appendix G – Ecologically sustainable development 207 Appendix H – ArchivedConsultancies 209 Appendix I – historical Industrial and fee-for-service elections statistics 211 Appendix J – Publications 213 Appendix K – Fraud control certificationresearch 217 AEC ANNUAL REPORT 2008–2009 | ABOUT THIS REPORT vii About this report RA E DERS This annual report of the Australian Electoral The annual report is designed to meet the Commission (AEC) documents the AEC’s information needs of the AEC’s stakeholders performance for the financial year ending and customers, including: 30 June 2009. • eligible electors • members of parliament, political parties, STUE RUCT R electoral candidates and interest groups The annual report begins with: • the media • the 25th anniversary • forstate, territory and international • the Electoral Commissioner’s review of electoral authorities performance in 2008–09 and outlook • federal, state, territory and local for 2009–10 government agencies • a summary of the AEC’s achievements • students, teachers and researchers in 2008–09 • AEC staff. • an overview of the AEC, describing its role, The annual report is presented for tabling legislative basis, organisation, performance in the Parliament of the Commonwealth of framework and partnerships. Australia. Copies are available free of charge, in hard copy or electronic format, through the The next three sections detail the AEC’s: AEC website. • performance in meeting the indicators only and targets of the outcomes and outputs CT ON A T OFFICER framework set out for the AEC in the For more information about the annual report, 2008–09 Portfolio Budget Statements contact the Director, Governance, Assurance • performance in relation to responsibilities and Organisational Reporting, at the address Archivedsuch as internal governance, external shown below. General contact details for the scrutiny, human resources management, AEC are also shown in the ‘Overview’ section providing access forhistorical people with disabilities, pof the report. purchasing, assets management, and use of Web address of this report: tenders and contracts www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/publications • financial performance, including the Contact officer: audited financial statements for 2008–09. Director, Governance, Assurance and The main report is followed by: Organisational Reporting • appendices which provide detailed Australian Electoral Commission information and statistics required to be West Block Offices reported by legislationresearch and other Queen Victoria Terrace reporting requirements Parkes ACT 2600 PO Box 6172 • a list of abbreviations, a compliance index Kingston ACT 2604 and an alphabetical index. Telephone: 02 6271 4411 Fax: 02 6271 4558 Email: [email protected] Website: www.aec.gov.au for only Archived historical research for only Archived historical research YEAR IN REVIEW Electoral Commissioner’s review Summary of achievements 25th anniversary 2 25TH ANNIVERSARY | ANNUAL REPORT 2008–2009 Celebrating our 25th anniversary – a retrospective On 21 February 2009, the AEC celebrated The 1984 amendments not only established its 25th anniversary as an independent the AEC as an independent statutory authority, statutory body, with the theme ‘25 years butfor also introduced the registration of political serving the Australian community’. This parties, improved the process for drawing important anniversary year comes at a time electoral boundaries, provided for public when the needs of a contemporary society funding of election campaigns, ensured call for changes to the electoral system, with the disclosure of campaign donations and the Government putting in place processes electoral expenditure and provided specific to facilitate widespread debate over enrolment provisions for people in special electoral issues. circumstances. Since this time, candidate names appear in random order on House of An anniversary provides the space to discuss Representatives ballot papers, and a simplified the themes relevant to the future, as well group ticket voting option appears on Senate as to celebrate the past, and there is much election ballots. only to celebrate. During the past 25 years, the AEC has delivered nine federal elections, 28 The 1980s by-elections and three referendums, and has made a significant contribution to the stability Since its inception in 1984, the AEC has of Government in Australia through its delivery worked to enhance the accountability and Archivedof impartial and independent elections. transparency of electoral procedures and The administration of the electoral system, practices. The 1980s were characterised by supported by the dedicationhistorical of AEC staff, an emphasis on developing uniform practices has engendered the trust of the Australian and introducing computer-based or automated community that federal elections in Australia systems to replace manual processes. National deliver results that accurately reflect the consistency across divisional offices was collective choice of the community. So, it is supported by enhanced training programs and with a sense of satisfaction that we take a look a consolidated election procedures manual. back and follow the evolutionary pathway of In 1989, a significant modernisation milestone Australia’s Electoral Commission. was achieved with the introduction of the new Roll Management System (RMANS). Early beginnings researchRMANS enabled computer-based data The functions now fulfilled by the AEC were