1998 Federal Election and Matters Related Thereto
Media Releases

Media release, 16 August 1999

COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE POLLING IN ALICE SPRINGS

The Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters will hold hearings in Alice Springs on Monday 16 August to investigate certain aspects of the conduct of the 1998 federal election in that town. The hearings will form part of an inquiry into the conduct of the 1998 federal election.

'The Committee has had divergent accounts about how well polling was managed at a static polling booth in Alice Springs and on one of the Remote Mobile Polling Teams that operated out of Alice Springs,' Chairman Mr Gary Nairn, Member for Eden-Monaro, said.

'The Northern Territory Country Liberal Party has indicated that voting at the Tangentyere polling booth was marred by inappropriate behaviour and bias, and that polling in some remote communities was mismanaged to the extent that some voters were disenfranchised.'

'Because of the differences of opinion between the Australian Electoral Commission and the Northern Territory Country Liberal Party, the Committee has had a great deal of trouble determining what exactly happened at the static booth and on the mobile poll,' Mr Nairn continued. 'The Committee has decided to come to Alice Springs to inspect the polling place and talk to those involved in order to determine the actual sequence of events.'

'The broader issue of assisted vote has also been the subject of many submissions and much debate and therefore will also be pursued further at the Alice Springs Hearing,' Mr Nairn said.

The Committee will hear from the Tangentyere Council, the Australian Electoral Commission, the Northern Territory Country Liberal Party and members of the local community involved in the election.

Ends
12 August 1999
Further information: Gary Nairn MP (Chairman) 02 - 6277 4939 (Parliament House)
Bev Forbes (Secretary) 02 - 6277 4582

Details of Hearing and Committee membership attached

PROGRAM : PUBLIC HEARING

10.30 - 11.30 am Australian Electoral Commission
11.30 - 12.30 pm Tangentyere Council
1.30 - 2.30 pm Northern Territory Country Liberal Party
2.30 - 3.30 pm Mrs Elena Williams

Membership of the Committee

Mr Gary Nairn MP (Chair)
Mr Laurie Ferguson MP (Deputy Chair)
Senator Andrew Bartlett
Senator the Hon. John Faulkner
Senator Brett Mason
Senator Andrew Murray
Senator the Hon. Ron Boswell
Mr Michael Danby MP
Mr John Forrest MP
Hon. Alex Somlyay MP

Inquiry into the Conduct of the 1998 Federal Election and matters related thereto : Terms of Reference

On 10 December 1998 the Special Minister of State, Senator the Hon. Chris Ellison, referred the following to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters:

"That the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters inquire into and report on all aspects of the conduct of the 1998 federal election and matters related thereto."

The terms of reference for an election inquiry are generally very broad, allowing the Committee to focus on those issues which are considered most pressing by the Committee and the respondents to the inquiry.

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