Western Australia’s electoral system has become “stuck in the past” amid outdated legislation and a lack of funding, a parliamentary inquiry into the 2017 state election has found. The final report from the standing committee inquiry highlighted several problems with the security of internet voting, poor transparency for political donations and the state’s ageing Electoral Act. Inquiry chair Peter Katsambanis says the state’s 111-year old electoral legislation is a “hodgepodge of contradictory provisions that make no sense“, which prevented the use of electronic voting systems.
“The Electoral Commissioner told us of one section that defied precise interpretation by even the State Solicitor,” Mr Katsambanis told parliament on Thursday.
Mr Katsambanis said the inquiry, held by the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee, found problems which could erode the confidence of voters in politicians and their parties.
He said voting in 2017 was vastly different from previous elections, including campaigns by organisations other than political parties.
Full Article: Parliamentary inquiry finds WA’s electoral system ‘stuck in the past’.