Media Release 1998: Call For All Australian Citizens to Enrol and Vote

28 August 1998

The Australian Electoral Commissioner, Mr Bill Gray, has called on all Australian citizens of all backgrounds to ensure that they are enrolled to vote in the forthcoming federal election.

"Enrolling and voting in elections is compulsory for all Australian citizens," Mr Gray said. "Some people who have come to Australia as migrants and who are used to a very different electoral system in their country of origin may not be aware of this requirement."

Mr Gray said the AEC was particularly concerned about those people who had changed their address but had forgotten to change their enrolment.

"Each year the names of a large number of people have to be removed from the roll because they forget to let us know when they change their address. When we check and find that they are no longer at their listed address, they may be removed from the roll and miss out on the opportunity to vote."

Anyone who has been removed from the roll for this reason can simply re-enrol for their new address.

"Enrolment forms are available from a Post Office or an Electoral Office, or by ringing 13 23 26," Mr Gray said. "The Electoral Commission also provides help in 15 languages on our 15 language specific telephone enquiry lines."

Currently there are nearly 12 million people on Australia's electoral roll. To be eligible to enrol you must be 18 years old or more and an Australian citizen. Australia is one of the few countries in the world where voting is compulsory for all citizens.

In recent years the Australian Electoral Commission has worked closely with the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs to enable electoral enrolment to take place when citizenship ceremonies for new citizens are held, but if a person changes address after enrolling it is their responsibility to ensure that their enrolment details are changed.

The next federal election, which must be held before May 1999, will elect representatives to the two houses of federal Parliament, the House of Representatives and the Senate.

"Voting in Australia is a democratic right but it is also a duty which citizens from all backgrounds share. It is important that all citizens over 18 years of age have their say in voting for the people who will represent them in Parliament," Mr Gray said.