PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENT ELECTORAL MATTERS COMMITTEE INQUIRY INTO THE CONDUCT OF THE 2006 OF VICTORIA VICTORIAN STATE ELECTION JUNE 2008 1st REPORT TO PARLIAMENT Inquiry into the conduct of the 2006 Victorian state election and matters related thereto Report to Parliament Electoral Matters Committee June 2008 ORDERED TO BE PRINTED Victorian Government Printer 2008 Parliamentary Paper No. 117 Session 2006-2008 Parliament of Victoria Electoral Matters Committee Inquiry into the conduct of the 2006 Victorian state election and matters related thereto ISBN – 978-0-9805370-0-0 ISBN – 978-0-9805370-1-7 Electronic Maps and ballot paper images courtesy of the Victorian Electoral Commission. Photos of vestibule and Parliament House reproduced with the permission of the Victorian Parliamentary Library. Table of Contents Committee Members ........................................................................................... xi Electoral Matters Committee ............................................................................ xiii Terms of Reference ............................................................................................ xv Acknowledgements.......................................................................................... xvii Chair’s Foreword ............................................................................................... xix List of Recommendations................................................................................. xxi List of Tables and Figures ............................................................................. xxvii Abbreviations................................................................................................... xxix Chapter One: Introduction ............................................................... 1 Responsibilities of the EMC ................................................................................ 1 A standard for comparison: Similar Commonwealth and state inquiries........ 2 Significance of the 2006 Victorian state election............................................... 2 Fixed election day and parliamentary terms ........................................................... 3 Changes to the Legislative Council......................................................................... 3 Overview of the 2006 Victorian state election.................................................... 4 Election timetable ................................................................................................... 4 Voter turnout........................................................................................................... 4 Election result ......................................................................................................... 4 Election expenditure ............................................................................................... 5 Positive feedback ................................................................................................... 5 Overview of the Albert Park District and Williamstown District by-elections . 6 By-elections timetable............................................................................................. 6 Voter turnout........................................................................................................... 7 By-elections results................................................................................................. 7 By-elections expenditure ........................................................................................ 7 Electoral landscape.............................................................................................. 7 Government legislation........................................................................................... 7 Stakeholders........................................................................................................... 8 Victorian Electoral Commission...................................................................... 8 Political parties and candidates...................................................................... 9 Electors ........................................................................................................ 10 Media, researchers and psephologists......................................................... 10 Conduct of inquiry.............................................................................................. 11 Inquiry process............................................................................................. 11 Feedback on inquiry..................................................................................... 12 Report outline ..................................................................................................... 13 iii Chapter Two: Victorian Electoral Commission ..............................15 The role of the VEC............................................................................................. 15 VEC’s relationship with the EMC .......................................................................... 15 Duplication of electoral administration .................................................................. 15 Review of the VEC’s operations............................................................................ 17 Personnel ............................................................................................................ 18 Staff recruitment.................................................................................................... 18 Staff retention ....................................................................................................... 19 Staff training.......................................................................................................... 20 Staff management of electoral districts................................................................. 22 Indigenous staff..................................................................................................... 22 Multilingual staff .................................................................................................... 23 Staff with a disability ............................................................................................. 25 Chapter Three: Enrolment and engagement – Part A.....................27 Overview of communication strategies ............................................................ 27 2006 Victorian state election................................................................................. 27 Albert Park District and Williamstown District by-elections ................................... 30 Concerns associated with the 2010 Victorian state election ................................. 30 Overview of enrolment trends and issues........................................................ 31 New enrolment initiatives ...................................................................................... 31 2006 Victorian state election................................................................................. 31 Albert Park District and Williamstown District by-elections ................................... 31 Enrolment participation rate .................................................................................. 31 Concerns associated with enrolment of voters for federal elections ..................... 32 Electoral roll ........................................................................................................ 34 Maintaining an accurate electoral roll.................................................................... 34 Close of roll: Victorian state elections ................................................................... 35 Public access to the electoral roll.......................................................................... 36 Engaging communities ...................................................................................... 37 Young persons...................................................................................................... 38 Definition ...................................................................................................... 38 Demographic information ............................................................................. 39 Enrolment ..................................................................................................... 39 Electoral education....................................................................................... 41 Information in accessible formats ................................................................. 43 Optional voting for 16 and 17 year olds........................................................ 46 Older persons ....................................................................................................... 49 Definition ...................................................................................................... 49 Demographic information ............................................................................. 49 Utilisation of community service providers.................................................... 50 Information in accessible formats ................................................................. 50 Exemption of voters...................................................................................... 51 iv Persons with poor literacy skills............................................................................ 52 Definition .....................................................................................................