The
Commonwealth Electoral Act says:
‘There
shall be a Divisional Returning Office for each Division who shall be
charged with the duty of giving effect to this Act within or for the
division subject to the directions of the Electoral Commissioner and the
Australian Electoral Officer for the State.’ |
| The
Australian Electoral Commission began centralising by amalgamations from
1987. |
| |
Its
policy to co-locate divisional offices out of their neighbourhoods to new
locations.
Smaller staff would move into smaller standard size offices in clusters of
2, 3 or 4.
This
would save 15-20% in rental, 30% in rents and 15-25% in staffing cost. |
| Both
parties opposed amalgamations in the JSCEM in 1992, 1996, and 2003. |
| |
Advice
to the AEC, as to legality of amalgamation, was negative until now.
The AEC now claims to have positive advice but refuses to let
anyone see it |
| All
150 Divisional Offices
petitioned the Special Minister of State, Senator Abetz |
| |
They
object to amalgamations still in progress in defiance of the Minister |
| All
150 Divisional Offices
went on protest strike on 7 November 2003 for three hours. |
| |
Their
6.5% pay rise over 2 years is linked to agreeing to amalgamation.
They
object to lack of consultation with themselves or their union, the CPSU. |
| The
Special Minister of State then wrote to every Divisional Returning
Officer. |
| |
No
further action on amalgamations without consent of the Parliament or
Minister |
| The
Divisional Returning Officers say they put the electoral system in
jeopardy. |
| |
Divisional
staff lose contact with the physical nature of their electorate and
electors.
They have a reduced ability to detect enrolment fraud via roll reviews.
They cannot manage elections as efficiently eg supervision on polling day
.
They lose demographic familiarity essential for redistributions. |
| Divisional
Officers disagree that amalgamation will save money. |
| |
The
average rent of 23 Queensland divisional offices was $35,000.
The
rent of Queensland Head Office + 4 Divisions $400,000 and West End
400,000.
Therefore it is cheaper to move Queensland Head Office than the
Divisional Offices. |
| Divisional
Officers ask why they are the target of economy in the system |
| |
Senior
executives in Canberra received $652,187 in performance bonuses.
They bought wide TV screens and photocopiers equal in price to a small
car. |
|
Examples:
Lilley/Moreton/Brisbane/Bonner
(new electorate) in Brisbane Central, Qld
Bradfield/North Sydney/Berowra/Bennelong in Chatswood, NSW |