Dear Committee Secretary,
The purpose of this letter is to share research and analysis conducted by the Institute of Public Affairs (“the IPA”) with the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters (“the Committee”) as it inquires into all aspects of the conduct of the 2025 federal election and related matters.
The terms of reference require the Committee to examine, among other issues:
- assessment and review of the purported increase in incidents of aggressive conduct, deliberate obstruction, and intimidating behaviour towards voters, political participants, volunteers, and Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) officials;
- potential reform of safety and security arrangements, including consideration of the powers, processes, and capacity of the AEC to manage and address increasingly threatening or disruptive behaviour;
- the suitability and potential reform of measures to ensure universal voter access, including polling booth availability and location, early voting, remote polling, and postal voting arrangements; and
- the suitability of the current authorisation framework and requirements, having regard to the evolution of communication methods and technology.
The Special Minister of State has also asked the Committee to consider the interaction with the following:
- the implementation and operation of the electoral reform passed by the 47th Parliament, particularly regarding the use of money or capital in the most recent election;
- reforms to address the ongoing threats of interference in our electoral system, both foreign and domestic; and
- the composition of the Parliament as a whole, including: the length of the parliamentary term; the potential for fixed terms; and the number of elected representatives relative to the growth in population and the electorate.
The IPA welcomes this opportunity to provide comment, particularly in relation to:
- The size of Parliament;
- The effect of preferential voting on the composition of parliament; and
- Proposals for fixed parliamentary terms.
