Jacinta Price urges AEC to protect bush voters from unscrupulous behaviour

CLP Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has called on the Australian Electoral Commission to make sure that the rights of voters in the bush are protected from unscrupulous behaviour during remote area mobile polling.

CLP Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has called on the Australian Electoral Commission to make sure that the rights of voters in the bush are protected from unscrupulous behaviour during remote area mobile polling

CLP Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has called on the Australian Electoral Commission to make sure that the rights of voters in the bush are protected from unscrupulous behaviour during remote area mobile polling.

The Opposition Indigenous affairs spokesman said her experiences in the past reveal that a lot of people in communities are taken advantage of.

She is urging anyone who sees unscrupulous activities at remote polling urge to report it straight away to the AEC.

“Because our most vulnerable people in this country, who need change the most are in remote communities, and they need to be treated with the respect that anybody should be treated with,” she said.

“I would hope the that the AEC have got their finger on the pulse and understanding that if unscrupulous behaviour takes place that it’s stamped out straight away,” Senator Price said.

“People in the bush need to be able to participate in a democracy effectively and make informed decisions when they go to vote as well.

“And so that has always been a concern of mine.

Wallace Rockhole, Northern Territory,

“I did put it to the AEC during senate estimates; what does it involve in order to bring these issues to their attention, if there is unscrupulous behaviour,?

“What level of evidence is required in reporting where it will be looked into and investigated?

“They have suggested that all it requires is for two people to substantiate a claim.

“So for voters out there and those out on the polling booth, please take that into consideration that if you see unscrupulous behaviour, it only requires two people to put in a report for that to be investigated.

“Unfortunately, over time, I have not seen this take place.

“I’m keeping an eye on the AEC as well to make sure that they’re doing the job that needs to be done to support these individuals.

“Especially for those whose language is not English to begin with, where English is the second or third language to them and they need support.

“They need to be able to participate in a democracy.”

Labor candidate for Solomon Luke Gosling at an early voting centre in Darwin on Tuesday, April 22. Pic: Supplied.

Meanwhile hundreds of voters in the urban seat of Solomon took advantage of the first day of polling on Tuesday, a steady stream trickling through early voting centres across Darwin and Palmerston.

Labor’s Luke Gosling was greeting voters at the 51 Smith St centre, while CLP candidate Lisa Bayliss visited the Eaton multipurpose facility.

CLP candidate for Solomon Lisa Bayliss with a volunteer at an early voting centre in Darwin on Tuesday, April 22. Pic: Fia Walsh.

“There’s always that feeling of excitement about the election,” Ms Bayliss said.

“It’s been very busy, but the important thing is to get out and about and talk to as many people as I can.

“I think anyone that’s campaigning this hard will feel the same way – that the community are really struggling under the cost of living, and the issues facing them every day in the Territory.”

Incumbent Mr Gosling said he was not taking anything for granted.

“There are still a lot of people left to vote and we know that every vote counts,” he said.

“I had a lot of really positive conversations, and am confident that I’ve worked hard to deliver during our first term in government and will deliver even more if I have the honour of continuing to serve Territorians.”

Independent candidate for Solomon Phil Scott with volunteers at an early voting centre in Darwin on Tuesday, April 22. Pic: Fia Walsh.

Phil Scott, the Territory’s first teal independent candidate, was also at the Eaton pre-poll and said he was glad to see voting begin.

“We had three objectives when we set out – build community, elevate discussion about things that matter to Territorians that otherwise doesn’t get talked about by the major parties, and actually give people an experience of what grassroots participation and democracy looks like,” he said.

“The only thing remaining is winning on election day, and it feels pretty good today.”

Originally published as Jacinta Price urges AEC to protect bush voters from unscrupulous behaviour