Introduction to e-petitioning in the House
1.1
Electronic petitioning (e‑petitioning) was first proposed by the House of Representatives (the House) Standing Committee on Procedure (the Procedure Committee) in 2007, as part of its inquiry into petitioning the House.
1.2
The Procedure Committee recommended e‑petitioning in recognition of the reality of modern lobbying and campaigning and its impact on the petitioning process. E‑petitioning was seen as a reflection of societal changes in modern information communication technologies, and as a means of reinvigorating traditional and administratively cumbersome processes.
1.3
The Procedure Committee concluded that information technologies such as the internet and email could generate huge support for issues, such as those addressed in petitions. The Committee noted that ‘disallowing electronic petitions in the 21st century essentially denies a growing number of petitioners the opportunity to air their grievances’.
1.4
In 2009, the House Standing Committee on Petitions (the Committee) inquired into the introduction of an e‑petitioning system for the House of Representatives.
1.5
In determining whether the House should accept e‑petitions, the Committee considered its potential to engage a greater number of Australians in the working of the Parliament. The Committee balanced this potential opportunity with consideration of the necessary procedural changes and resources required to implement e‑petitioning; as well as potential security and privacy concerns associated with introducing the system.
1.6
Further discussion of the considerations behind the establishment of e‑petitioning in the House is undertaken in chapter 3.
1.7
As part of the 2009 inquiry, the Committee explored the experience of other parliaments with e‑petitioning and the potential implications of applying similar models in the House.
1.8
Having considered the experience of other jurisdictions, the Committee recommended that e‑
petitioning be introduced, recommending a number of proposed features and procedures for the new system.
1.9
The Government supported the Committee’s recommendation and requested that the Speaker and the Department of the House of Representatives implement e‑petitioning within existing resources.
1.10
On 22 October 2015, the Speaker of the House, the Hon Tony Smith MP announced that the House would introduce e‑petitioning, stating that the ‘work will be done within existing resources, and will involve consultation with the Petitions Committee and secretariat to ensure that the system meets requirements’.
1.11
The e‑petitions system was officially introduced in the House at the commencement of the 45th Parliament, with new Standing Orders being introduced in the Chamber on 13 September 2016.
1.12
Announcing the commencement of e-petitioning, the Speaker stated:
The system as developed will be accessible from the House of Representatives website. It will enable members of the public to enter and sign petitions online and track the progress of any petition as it is presented, referred and responded to. This new development will update the petitions system and make it easier for members of the public to petition the House.
1.13
The then Chair of the Committee, Mr Ross Vasta MP, commented on the introduction of e‑petitioning in his first statement during the 45th Parliament:
The first batch of e-petitions has been considered by the committee and these petitions are currently available for members of the public to sign on the website. The Petitions Committee is pleased that members of the public are able to create and sign petitions through this system and anticipate, with some interest, an increase in petitions.
1.14
As at 26 March 2018, 256 e‑petitions have been certified by the Committee, and presented to the House. In comparison, 263 paper petitions have been certified by the Petitions Committee as at the same date during the 45th Parliament, and presented to the House.
Key features of e-petitions
1.15
The process for accepting e-petitions in the House differs in one fundamental way from the process for accepting paper petitions. Before an e-petition is made available to the public for signing, the principal petitioner must lodge the petition through an online portal within the Australian Parliament House (APH) website. If the Committee considers that the e‑petition complies with the relevant rules of the House (Standing Orders), the e-petition is made publicly available for signing via the Petitions List, through the APH website.
1.16
In comparison, paper petitions are assessed by the Committee after the principal petitioner has created the petition and collected signatures by hand.
1.17
Further discussion on the process for lodging, signing and presenting an e‑petition is provided in chapter two.
1.18
Key differences between the rules for paper petitions and e-petitions include:
Once certified by the Committee, e-petitions are available to collect signatures online for four weeks. Paper petitions can collect signatures for an unlimited amount of time as they are not certified until after signatures have been collected.
E-petitions must be in English. A paper petition can be in a language other than English providing that a certified English language translation is attached.
E-petitions must be signed electronically by entering the signatory’s name and email address and following an email certification process to confirm the signature. Paper petitions require only a signature in the person’s own handwriting. The signature must be original and unaltered.
1.19
This report discusses the differences between e-petitions and paper petitions in the context of whether the House e-petitions system, introduced in September 2016, has met the expectations of Parliamentarians and members of the public.
Background to the inquiry
1.20
On 24 May 2017 the Committee resolved to inquire into and report on the e‑petitioning system of the House of Representatives Petitions Committee.
1.21
The Terms of Reference to the inquiry are found on page vii of this report.
1.22
Eighteen submissions and two supplementary submissions were made to the inquiry. A list of submissions is provided at Appendix A.
1.23
The Committee held three public hearings in Canberra for the inquiry. Details of these hearings are provided at Appendix B.
1.24
The Committee also conducted two online surveys throughout the course of the inquiry.
1.25
The first survey sought feedback from members of the public on the e‑petitions system, and was available on the Committee’s website from 17 August 2017 until 30 October 2017. The survey received 293 responses. The snapshot of the survey that was published by the Committee during the inquiry, as at 13 October 2017, is provided at Appendix C. A full list of survey questions is provided at Appendix D.
1.26
A second survey of Members of the House of Representatives was conducted from 9 October 2017 until 8 November 2017, receiving seven responses. The results of this survey were not published.
Scope of report
1.27
During the Procedure Committee’s inquiry into petitioning the House in 2007, the then Clerk of the House noted that ‘making the House more open to the people is an institutional obligation’. With this consideration in mind, e-petitioning was developed with a primary objective to increase the accessibility of the work of the House.
1.28
Some eighteen months after the introduction of e-petitions in the House, it is timely for the Committee to consider whether the e‑petitions system has met the expectations of members of the public, and Members of Parliament alike, in contributing to an open, accessible electronic system of petitioning the House.
1.29
In line with the inquiry’s terms of reference, it is prudent to also identify what enhancements might be made to improve the system, by reviewing the House e-petitions system, measured against the features of e-petitioning in other jurisdictions.
1.30
Chapter two of this report considers whether the e‑petitions system is fit for purpose, by evaluating feedback from users on the design and layout of the system. This chapter considers the functionality of the e-petitions system, to determine whether e‑petitions are accessible by all potential users, including people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. In reviewing the system’s functionality, the chapter considers features of e‑petitions systems in other jurisdictions.
1.31
Chapter two also discusses the timeframe allocated to signing an e-petition, in comparison to other jurisdictions. The current timeframe for e-petitioning has been assessed with consideration of the current House requirements and sitting pattern, and having regard to the needs of petitioners and people interested in signing a petition.
1.32
Chapter three of this report identifies some of the procedural issues that arose during the inquiry, including comparisons to international jurisdictions where e-petitioning has proven increasingly popular. The chapter considers the future of e‑petitions in the House, having regard to the original objectives of the system, and whether the system meets these objectives.