House of Representatives Committees

Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters

1998 Federal Election and Matters Related Thereto
Media Releases

Media release, 17 August 1999

ELECTORAL MATTERS PUBLIC HEARINGS IN BRISBANE

As part of the inquiry into the 1998 federal election, the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters will be conducting hearings in Brisbane on Tuesday 17 August 1999.

Chairman Gary Nairn, Member for Eden - Monaro said: 'Queenslanders have been by far the greatest number of contributors to this inquiry. The community's enthusiasm for electoral issues has prompted the Committee to hold hearings in Brisbane.'

The Committee will be hearing from a wide range of organisations, including Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party, Voters Against Legal Unfair Elections and the Patriotic Movement of Australia, as well as a number of individuals.

'The issue of greatest concern to the groups appearing before the Committee is compulsory preferential voting, which has been a recurrent issue since Albert Langer was jailed during the 1996 federal election,' Mr Nairn continued. 'The Committee is hoping to develop an understanding of how those appearing feel on this issue.'

Other issues of interest to those appearing include: electoral fraud; voter education; and media bias. The Committee expects to deliver its report before Christmas.

Ends
12 August 1999
Further information: Gary Nairn MP (Chairman) 02 - 6277 4939 (Parliament House)
Bev Forbes (Secretary) 02 - 6277 4582

Details of Hearing and Committee membership attached

PROGRAM : PUBLIC HEARING

TUESDAY 17 AUGUST
Conference Room, Level 5
Parliamentary Annex
Brisbane

9.00 - 9.30 am Mr Jim Stewart
9.30 - 10.00 am Office of the Leader of Pauline Hanson's One Nation (QLD Parliament)
10.00 - 10.30 am Mr Arthur Tuck
11.00 - 11.30 am Voters Against Legal Unfair Elections
11.30 - 12.00 pm Mr James Dwyer
12.00 - 12.30 pm Patriotic Movement of Australia
12.30 - 1.00 pm Mr John Hugo
1.00 - 1.30 pm Opportunity for informal comment from the general public

Membership of the Committee

Mr Gary Nairn MP (Chair)
Mr Laurie Ferguson MP (Deputy Chair)
Senator Andrew Bartlett
Senator the Hon. John Faulkner
Senator Brett Mason
Senator Andrew Murray
Senator the Hon. Ron Boswell
Mr Michael Danby MP
Mr John Forrest MP
Hon. Alex Somlyay MP

Inquiry into the Conduct of the 1998 Federal Election and matters related thereto : Terms of Reference

On 10 December 1998 the Special Minister of State, Senator the Hon. Chris Ellison, referred the following to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters:

"That the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters inquire into and report on all aspects of the conduct of the 1998 federal election and matters related thereto."

The terms of reference for an election inquiry are generally very broad, allowing the Committee to focus on those issues which are considered most pressing by the Committee and the respondents to the inquiry.