No ID no vote law on deck for the next federal election 'a solution in search of a problem'
If you want to vote at the next federal election, you'll need to show ID, should proposed laws be approved in Parliament.
The controversial legislation, expected to be introduced on Thursday aims to prevent people from voting multiple times or under false identities.
The no ID no vote law would require voters to present identification ranging from driver’s licenses and Medicare cards to letters from government agencies, power bills or bank statements, in order to vote.
No ID? You would still be able to vote should another person with ID vouch for you.
Voters who couldn't identify themselves would be allowed to cast a “declaration vote” where enrolment details are checked by polling officials after the fact.
Committee chair James McGrath says the “sanctity of the electoral roll and the importance of each citizen equally exercising equally one vote” were vital to making sure elections were fair.
However, Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers said the AEC was already satisfied with existing measures to prevent voter fraud and described the problem as “vanishingly small”.
The new laws would have to pass Parliament within the next two weeks to be introduced in time for the next federal election due to be held by May.
Labor, so far, opposes the laws, saying they are “unnecessary and burdensome”.
“The government’s plans would not only see a return to long queues at polling booths, but also disenfranchise vulnerable Australians by preventing them from exercising their democratic right to vote,” said shadow special minister of state Don Farrell.
Greens deputy leader Larissa Waters said voter ID laws were “a solution in search of a problem”.
What do you think of the proposed laws?
Ha ha, they're working on it in the good ol' US of A. They're holding protest marches chanting 'SAVE AUSTRALIA'. It's just anti-vaxxers at the moment, but who knows how far it will go. LOL
What a lot of gooblygook from the Government faaaar Right!
Sounds like they have been watching too much of Trumps ideas to me.
Those that wish to have a legal vote at the Federal Election in 2025 should produce a current Australian Pass Port, that will cover many evils! In other words a Federal ID.
I really don't think having a Medicare Card is good enough!
Everyone and their dog can have a Medicare card.
The only question that is asked when we go to vote is
Have you voted elsewhere today?
How does one tell who is honest and who is voting three or four times?
All the system allows for at the moment is a black line over our names and addresses so we could all turn up at any Polling Station and nobody will be the wiser unless we have something more substantial to prove who we are.
so if two people with the same name from the same address?? if one wanted to vote but the other didn't they could vote using the wrong name but the right ID ?? ??