REFERENDUM (MACHINERY PROVISIONS) ACT 1984

This compilation was prepared on 17 July 2008
taking into account amendments up to Act No. 73 of 2008

The text of any of those amendments not in force
on that date is appended in the Notes section

The operation of amendments that have been incorporated may be
affected by application provisions that are set out in the Notes section

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
Attorney‑General's Department, Canberra

Contents

Part I--Preliminary 1

1............ Short title [see Note 1] ....................................................................... 1

2............ Commencement [see Note 1] .............................................................. 1

3............ Interpretation ...................................................................................... 1

3A......... Extraterritorial operation of Act ......................................................... 8

3B......... Application to Crown ........................................................................ 8

3C......... Application of the Criminal Code ...................................................... 8

4............ Electors entitled to vote at a referendum ............................................ 8

5............ Australian Electoral Officer for the Australian Capital Territory ...... 9

6............ Assistant Returning Officers and Assistant Divisional Returning Officers 10

Part II--Writ for a referendum 12

7............ Writ for a referendum ....................................................................... 12

8............ Form of writ ..................................................................................... 12

9............ Day for close of Rolls and voting day .............................................. 12

10.......... Extension of time .............................................................................. 13

11.......... Distribution to electors of arguments for and against proposed law 14

12.......... Governor‑General to deal with writ ................................................. 16

13.......... Action by Electoral Commissioner ................................................... 16

14.......... Action by Electoral Officers ............................................................. 16

Part III--Voting at a referendum 18

Division 1--General 18

15.......... Voting on same day throughout Australia ........................................ 18

16.......... Polling places .................................................................................... 18

16A....... Undertaking by officers and scrutineers ........................................... 18

17.......... Arrangements for voting ................................................................... 19

18.......... Substitute for presiding officer ......................................................... 20

19.......... Ballot‑boxes ...................................................................................... 20

20.......... Separate voting compartments ......................................................... 21

21.......... Use of licensed premises as polling booth ........................................ 21

22.......... Certified lists of voters ..................................................................... 21

23.......... Election and referendum on the same day ........................................ 22

24.......... Manner of voting .............................................................................. 22

25.......... Forms of ballot‑paper ....................................................................... 22

25A....... Official mark ..................................................................................... 24

26.......... Ballot‑papers to be initialled ............................................................ 24

27.......... Appointment of scrutineers ............................................................. 24

28.......... Provisions relating to scrutineers ...................................................... 25

29.......... Voting at a referendum ...................................................................... 26

30.......... Questions to be put to voter ............................................................ 26

31.......... Questions to be put to voter when election and referendum on the same day 27

32.......... Errors not to forfeit vote .................................................................. 28

33.......... Right of elector to receive ballot‑paper ............................................ 28

34.......... List of voters to be marked when ballot‑paper issued ..................... 28

35.......... Vote to be marked in private ............................................................ 29

36.......... Assistance to certain voters .............................................................. 29

36A....... Certain voters may vote outside polling place ................................. 30

37.......... Provisional votes .............................................................................. 31

38.......... Provisional enrolment by applicant for citizenship ......................... 33

40.......... Election and referendum on the same day ........................................ 36

41.......... Spoilt ballot‑papers .......................................................................... 36

41A....... Temporary suspension of polling .................................................... 37

42.......... Adjournment of voting ..................................................................... 37

43.......... Adjournment at both referendum and election ................................. 38

44.......... Adjourned voting .............................................................................. 38

45.......... Compulsory voting ........................................................................... 38

46.......... Where electors may vote, and absent voting .................................... 42

46A....... Forwarding of declaration votes ....................................................... 44

Division 2--Mobile booths 48

47.......... Interpretation .................................................................................... 48

48.......... Mobile booths--hospitals that are polling places ............................ 48

49.......... Mobile booths--other hospitals ...................................................... 48

49A....... Mobile booths--prisons .................................................................. 50

50.......... Provisions related to sections 48 and 49 .......................................... 51

51.......... Mobile booths--Remote Divisions .................................................. 53

52.......... Election and referendum on same day .............................................. 55

Part IV--Postal voting 56

53.......... Interpretation .................................................................................... 56

54.......... Grounds of application for postal vote ............................................ 56

55.......... Application for postal vote .............................................................. 56

56.......... Application forms for postal votes .................................................. 57

58.......... Dispatch of postal voting papers to registered general postal voters 58

59.......... Election and referendum on the same day ........................................ 58

60.......... Duty of witness ................................................................................ 59

61.......... Issue of certificate and ballot‑papers ................................................ 59

62.......... Inspection of applications ................................................................ 60

62A....... Access to electronic list of postal vote applicants ........................... 61

62B....... Restriction on use or disclosure of information ................................ 62

63.......... Numbering of applications and certificates ...................................... 64

65.......... Postal voting ..................................................................................... 64

66.......... Duty of authorised witnesses etc. .................................................... 66

67.......... Procedure for dealing with postal vote certificates etc. .................... 66

68.......... Opening of postal ballot‑paper ........................................................ 69

69.......... Failure to post or deliver postal vote application etc. ...................... 69

70.......... Inducing elector to hand over marked ballot‑paper .......................... 69

71.......... Correction of formal errors ............................................................... 69

Part IVA--Pre‑poll voting 71

72.......... Grounds of application for pre‑poll vote ......................................... 71

73.......... Pre‑poll voting officers ..................................................................... 71

73AA.... Pre‑poll voting offices ...................................................................... 71

73A....... Application for pre‑poll vote ........................................................... 72

73B....... Place and time of application ............................................................ 73

73C....... Election and referendum on the same day ........................................ 74

73CA.... Appointment of scrutineers ............................................................. 74

73CB..... Provisions relating to scrutineers ...................................................... 75

73D....... Pre‑poll voting .................................................................................. 76

73E........ Form of pre‑poll vote certificate ...................................................... 77

73F........ Record of issue of pre‑poll voting papers ........................................ 77

73H....... Opening of pre‑poll voting envelope ................................................ 78

73J........ Obligations of persons present when pre‑poll vote cast .................. 78

73K....... Correction of formal errors ............................................................... 78

Part IVB--Trials of electronic voting methods 79

Division 1--Trial of electronically assisted voting for sight‑impaired people 79

73L........ Definitions ........................................................................................ 79

73M...... Regulations may provide for voting by an electronically assisted voting method 79

73N....... There must be a record of who has voted using the electronically assisted voting method 80

73P........ There must be a printed record of the vote ...................................... 81

73Q....... How this Act applies in relation to voting using the electronically assisted voting method 81

Division 2--Trial of remote electronic voting for defence personnel serving outside Australia 82

73R....... Definitions ........................................................................................ 82

73S........ Regulations may provide for remote electronic voting by defence personnel serving outside Australia 82

73T....... There must be a record of who has voted using the remote electronic voting method 84

73U....... Transmission of electronic votes to the Electoral Commission and scrutiny of votes 84

73V....... How this Act applies in relation to voting using the remote electronic voting method 84

Part V--Special provisions relating to voting in Antarctica at a referendum 86

74.......... Interpretation .................................................................................... 86

75.......... Application of Part III to voting in Antarctica ................................. 86

76.......... Arrangements for voting in Antarctica ............................................. 86

77.......... Ballot‑papers to be initialled ............................................................ 87

78.......... The voting at a referendum in Antarctica ......................................... 87

79.......... Entitlement of Antarctic electors to vote at referendum .................. 88

80.......... Questions to be put to voter at Antarctic station ............................ 88

81.......... Right of Antarctic elector to receive ballot‑paper ............................ 88

82.......... List of Antarctic electors to be marked ............................................ 88

83.......... Application of sections 35 and 36 .................................................... 88

84.......... Proceedings by Antarctic Returning Officer upon close of poll ....... 89

85.......... Result of the polling in Antarctica .................................................... 89

86.......... Preservation of ballot‑papers etc. ..................................................... 90

87.......... Application of Part ........................................................................... 91

88.......... Election and referendum on same day .............................................. 91

Part VI--Scrutiny of a referendum 92

89.......... Ascertainment of result of referendum ............................................. 92

89A....... Preliminary scrutiny of declaration votes ......................................... 93

90.......... Conduct of scrutiny .......................................................................... 93

91.......... Action at scrutiny ............................................................................. 94

92.......... Action on objection to ballot‑papers ................................................ 96

93.......... Informal ballot‑papers ...................................................................... 96

94.......... Return of result of submission by Divisional Returning Officers .... 97

95.......... Recount ............................................................................................. 97

95A....... Notice of re‑count ............................................................................. 97

95B....... Conduct of re‑count .......................................................................... 98

96.......... Reservation of disputed ballot‑papers ............................................. 99

Part VII--Return of the writ 100

97.......... Statement by Australian Electoral Officers .................................... 100

98.......... Return of the writ ........................................................................... 100

98A....... Norfolk Islanders ............................................................................ 101

99.......... Copies of statement to Governors of the States etc. ...................... 101

Part VIII--Disputed returns 102

100........ Disputing validity of submission or return .................................... 102

101........ Requisites of petition ..................................................................... 102

102........ Petition by Electoral Commission .................................................. 103

103........ Jurisdiction and powers of High Court .......................................... 103

104........ Inquiries by High Court .................................................................. 103

105........ Notice of petition ........................................................................... 104

106........ Joinder of parties ............................................................................ 105

107........ Procedure on petition ..................................................................... 105

107AA.. Court must make decision quickly ................................................. 105

107A..... Provision for Court to have regard to certain rejected ballot‑papers 105

108........ Immaterial errors not to invalidate referendum ............................... 105

108AA.. Referendum not affected by failure of delivery arrangement .......... 106

108A..... Certain other matters not to invalidate referendum ........................ 106

109........ Evidence that person not permitted to vote ................................... 106

109A..... Right of Electoral Commission to have access to documents ......... 107

Part X--Offences 108

116........ Officers and scrutineers to observe secrecy ................................... 108

117........ Officers not to contravene Act etc. ................................................ 108

118........ Officers not to influence vote ......................................................... 108

118A..... Influencing votes of hospital patients etc. ...................................... 109

119........ Bribery ............................................................................................ 109

120........ Interference with political liberty ................................................... 109

121........ Printing and publication of advertisements, notices etc. ................ 110

121A..... Publication of advertisements on the Internet ................................ 111

122........ Misleading or deceptive publications etc. ...................................... 112

123........ False statements in relation to Rolls ............................................... 113

124........ Headings to advertisements ............................................................ 113

126........ Cards in polling booth .................................................................... 114

127........ Signature to referendum paper ........................................................ 114

128........ Witnessing referendum papers ....................................................... 115

129........ Marks on ballot‑papers .................................................................. 115

130........ Other offences relating to ballot‑papers etc. .................................. 115

131........ Prohibition of certain behaviour near polling booth ....................... 116

132........ Badges or emblems in polling booths ............................................. 118

133........ Employers to allow employees leave of absence to vote ............... 118

134........ Misconduct at public meeting ........................................................ 119

135........ Control of behaviour at polling booths etc. .................................... 120

Part XI--Miscellaneous 122

136A..... Extension of time for acts by officers ............................................. 122

138........ Delegation by Electoral Commissioner ........................................... 122

139........ Injunctions ...................................................................................... 122

140........ Prosecution of offences .................................................................. 124

140A..... Effect of averment by prosecutor ................................................... 124

140AA.. Evidence of authorship or authorisation of material ....................... 125

140B..... Service of process by mail .............................................................. 125

141........ Referendum papers received by post ............................................. 125

142A..... Preservation of documents ............................................................. 126

143........ No referendum or vote of a State or Territory to be held on voting day 127

144........ Regulations ..................................................................................... 127

145........ Repeal ............................................................................................. 127

Schedule 1--Forms 129

Schedule 2--Repealed Acts 132

Schedule 3--Grounds of application for postal or pre‑poll vote 133

Schedule 4--Rules for the conduct of a preliminary scrutiny of declaration votes 135

Notes 141

An Act relating to the submission to the electors of proposed laws for the alteration of the Constitution

Notes to the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984

Note 1

The Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 44, 1984 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

All relevant information pertaining to application, saving or transitional provisions prior to 17 September 2001 is not included in this compilation. For subsequent information see Table A.

Table of Acts

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984	44, 1984	25 June 1984	3 Sept 1984 (see Gazette 1984, No. S342)
Christmas Island Administration (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 1984	120, 1984	18 Oct 1984	Part VIII (ss. 27--31): 1 Oct 1984 Remainder: Royal Assent	--
Electoral and Referendum Amendment Act 1984	133, 1984	25 Oct 1984	25 Oct 1984	--
Broadcasting and Television (Consequential Amendments) Act 1985	67, 1985	5 June 1985	1 Jan 1986	--
Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Amendment Act 1988	77, 1988	24 June 1988	24 June 1988	--
Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Amendment Act (No. 2) 1988	81, 1988	26 Aug 1988	26 Aug 1988	--
Electoral and Referendum Amendment Act 1989	24, 1990	23 Jan 1990	Ss. 1--3, 4(d), 5--30, 36, 40, 43, 50 and 177: Royal Assent Ss. 4(b), 31--35, 37, 39, 41, 42, 49, 51--53, 55(a), (b), 56, 59, 60, 62--64, 66--72, 75, 77--79, 80(a)--(d), 81(a)--(d), 82--84, 85(b), (c), 110, 114, 118 and 121--161: 30 Sept 1990 Remainder: 9 Feb 1990 (see Gazette 1990, No. S30)	--
Electoral and Referendum Amendment Act 1991	167, 1991	13 Nov 1991	Ss. 1--3, 33 and 44: Royal Assent S. 45: 30 Sept 1990 Remainder: 13 May 1992	--
Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991	180, 1991	25 Nov 1991	S. 116: 23 Dec 1991 (a)	--
Political Broadcasts and Political Disclosures Act 1991	203, 1991	19 Dec 1991	Part 2 (ss. 4--9): 3 Jan 1992 (see Gazette 1992, No. S2) Parts 4 (ss. 32, 33) and 5 (ss. 34, 35): 19 June 1992 Part 6 (ss. 36--38): 16 Jan 1992 Remainder: Royal Assent	--
Broadcasting Services (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1992	105, 1992	9 July 1992	5 Oct 1992 (see Gazette 1992, No. GN38)	--
Norfolk Island (Electoral and Judicial) Amendment Act 1992	121, 1992	17 Oct 1992	17 Oct 1992	S. 18
Radiocommunications (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1992	167, 1992	11 Dec 1992	1 July 1993	S. 14(2)
Electoral and Referendum Amendment Act 1992	219, 1992	24 Dec 1992	S. 15: 24 June 1993 Remainder: Royal Assent	--
Electoral and Referendum Amendment Act 1995	166, 1995	16 Dec 1995	16 Dec 1995	--
Electoral and Referendum Amendment Act 1998	94, 1998	17 July 1998	Schedule 2: 18 July 1998 (b)	--
Referendum Legislation Amendment Act 1999	22, 1999	19 Apr 1999	19 Apr 1999	--
Electoral and Referendum Amendment Act (No. 1) 1999	134, 1999	13 Oct 1999	Schedule 1 (items 31--37): Royal Assent (c)	--
Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999	146, 1999	11 Nov 1999	Schedule 1 (items 764--768): 5 Dec 1999 (see Gazette 1999, No. S584) (d)	--
as amended by
Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Enrolment Integrity and Other Measures) Act 2004	115, 2004	13 July 2004	Schedule 1 (items 104, 105): (e)	--
Electoral and Referendum Amendment Act (No. 1) 2001	34, 2001	28 Apr 2001	16 July 2001 (see Gazette 2001, No. S284)	--
Finance and Administration Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001	109, 2001	17 Sept 2001	15 Oct 2001	S. 5 [see Table A]
Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Access to Electoral Roll and Other Measures) Act 2004	78, 2004	23 June 2004	Schedule 1: 21 July 2004 Remainder: Royal Assent	Sch. 1 (item 121) [see Table A]
Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Enrolment Integrity and Other Measures) Act 2004	115, 2004	13 July 2004	Schedule 1 (items 107, 108): (f) Schedule 1 (items 110--112, 114, 115, 117, 119--132): 10 Aug 2004	S. 2(1) (item 28) (rep. by 123, 2004, Sch. 2 [item 1]) S. 2(1) (item 30) (rep. by 65, 2006, Sch. 1 [item 100])
as amended by
Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Prisoner Voting and Other Measures) Act 2004	123, 2004	16 Aug 2004	Schedule 2: (g)	--
Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Electoral Integrity and Other Measures) Act 2006	65, 2006	22 June 2006	Schedule 1 (item 100): Royal Assent	--
Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Prisoner Voting and Other Measures) Act 2004	123, 2004	16 Aug 2004	Schedule 1 (item 6): (h)	--
Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Electoral Integrity and Other Measures) Act 2006	65, 2006	22 June 2006	Schedule 1 (items 102--114, 117--132, 134--139): Royal Assent Schedule 1 (items 115, 116, 133): 1 July 2007 (see s. 2(1))	S. 2(1) (am. by 73, 2008, Sch. 2 [items 8, 9])
as amended by
Statute Law Revision Act 2008	73, 2008	3 July 2008	Schedule 2 (items 8, 9, 12, 13): 15 Mar 2007 (see s. 2(1))	--
Electoral and Referendum Legislation Amendment Act 2007	22, 2007	15 Mar 2007	Schedule 3 (items 1--4): 16 Apr 2007 (see F2007L01001) Remainder: Royal Assent	--

Commencement information
Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Provision(s)	Commencement	Date/Details
27. Schedule 1, items 104 and 105	Immediately after the commencement of items 764 and 765 of Schedule 1 to the Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999.	5 December 1999

Provision(s)	Commencement	Date/Details
8. Schedule 2	Immediately after the Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Enrolment Integrity and Other Measures) Act 2004 received the Royal Assent.	13 July 2004

Provision(s)	Commencement	Date/Details
7. Schedule 1, item 6	Immediately after the commencement of item 126 of Schedule 1 to the Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Enrolment Integrity and Other Measures) Act 2004.	10 August 2004

ad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
Part I
S. 3......................................	am. No. 120, 1984; No. 77, 1988; No. 24, 1990; No. 167,1991; No. 121, 1992; No. 94, 1998; No. 146, 1999; No. 34, 2001; No. 78, 2004; No. 65, 2006; No. 22, 2007
S. 3A...................................	ad. No. 77, 1988
S. 3B...................................	ad. No. 77, 1988
	am. No. 121, 1992
S. 3C...................................	ad. No. 109, 2001
S. 4......................................	am. No. 24, 1990; No. 166, 1995; No. 94, 1998; No. 65, 2006
S. 5......................................	am. No. 24, 1990
	rs. No. 78, 2004
S. 6......................................	am. No. 24, 1990
Part II
S. 8......................................	am. No. 24, 1990; No. 78, 2004
S. 9......................................	am. No. 65, 2006
S. 10....................................	rs. No. 77, 1988
S. 11....................................	am. No. 77, 1988; Nos. 22 and 146, 1999
S. 12....................................	am. No. 78, 2004
S. 13....................................	am. No. 24, 1990
S. 14....................................	am. No. 78, 2004
Part III
Division 1
S. 16A.................................	ad. No. 24, 1990
S. 17....................................	am. No. 24, 1990; No. 78, 2004
S. 18....................................	rs. No. 24, 1990
S. 19....................................	am. No. 24, 1990
S. 21....................................	am. No. 24, 1990
	rs. No. 167, 1991
S. 22....................................	am. No. 24, 1990
	rs. No. 94, 1998
	am. No. 115, 2004
Ss. 23, 24............................	am. No. 24, 1990
S. 25....................................	am. No. 24, 1990; No. 94, 1998; No. 22, 1999; No. 78, 2004

Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

REFERENDUM (MACHINERY PROVISIONS) ACT 1984 - NOTES