NSW at risk of ‘election delivery failure’ amid funding concerns

The NSW Electoral Commission has warned of ‘election delivery failure’ with core systems ‘outdated’ and amid staff shortages after its funding proposals were rejected by the government.

A voter casts their ballot at the 2023 NSW election. The NSW Electoral Commission has warned of a risk of “election delivery failure” after its funding proposals were rejected by the Minns government. Picture: Julian Andrews

The NSW Electoral Commission has warned of a risk of “election delivery failure” with core systems “outdated” and amid staff shortages after its funding proposals were rejected by the Minns government.

It comes amid an ongoing threat of foreign interference in Australia’s elections, and left the opposition and crossbench accusing Labor of “negligence”, urging it to better safeguard the state’s democracy.

During budget estimates last week, NSWEC acting commissioner Matthew Phillips said of its four budget submissions for the 2024-25 financial year, only one was accepted by the Treasury.

Those areas it had sought to shore-up included digital modernisation, re-baselining its budget and reintroducing internet voting for impaired voters, called iVote, as well as make permanent some part-time or contracted staff.

“Our core election and corporate systems are rather dated, (at the) end of life … they pose a significant risk to the delivery of elections,” Mr Phillips said. “While we received (some) money for cybersecurity, we don’t have ongoing staffing, we don’t have maintenance, and we don’t have licensing into the future,” he said of a $15m tranche, saying it was a bit-part outcome.

“The NSWEC is now operating outside its risk appetite … we’re not currently funded to address critical risks in staffing, systems, and cyber to ensure successful election delivery in the future.”

Mr Phillips said after September’s local elections, he’d be forced to exit temporary or contract staff he was hoping to convert to permanent roles, and scale the current 377-person organisation down to about 200.

Greens NSW MLC Abigail Boyd. Picture: John Appleyard

Liberal NSW MLC Chris Rath.

“(The funding rejection) will result in a significant reduction in staffing, and we will have to look at our service offering and what we (can) provide,” he said, saying counts might revert to manual processes and logos on ballots could be jettisoned to save costs.

“The risks of election delivery failure are heightened as a result of this decision.”

The Greens and Liberals called on the government to better fund the commission.

“After all we’ve seen around the world, with attempted foreign interference in elections and the impact allegations of electoral fraud have had on trust in our democratic systems, for Labor to (not) properly fund the commission is shocking,” Greens Treasury spokeswoman Abigail Boyd said. “Now more than ever, maximising the integrity of our voting system is critical in safeguarding our democracy and maintaining faith in the election process.”

As the party’s disability and inclusion spokeswoman, Ms Boyd was concerned that iVote appeared dead in the water, given the system’s importance to voters with an visual impairment.

The opposition’s Chris Rath, said it amounted to a broken commitment, given Labor had campaigned for more funding.