Question – Vision-Impaired Tasmanians – Voting Difficulties

The Hon Meg Webb MLC asked the following question to the the Hon. Jo Palmer MLC, Minister for Disability Services, on Wednesday the 22 May 2024.

Legislative Council Question Time

Vision-Impaired Tasmanians – Voting Difficulties

Ms WEBB question to MINISTER for DISABILITY SERVICES, Ms PALMER

 [2.42 p.m.]

Are you aware of difficulties experienced by vision-impaired Tasmanians to submit secret ballots during the recent state election campaign, apparently due to limitations of the Electoral Act 2004 that prevents phone voting except for overseas and interstate voters?

Is it not a fact that the vision-impaired community has been raising concerns over the need for safe and accessible voting options for some years? Further, are you aware that the advisory committee the Tasmanian Electoral Commission established to focus on disability accessibility issues to which representatives of disability organisations were invited, is reported as being on the verge of collapse with little progress on actually resolving identified problems?

Can you please inform the House what engagement you and your department have had with the TEC advisory committee established to address accessible voting options for the visually impaired and other matters raised by disability advocates and what progress has been made, if any?

ANSWER

Mr President, I thank the member for raising this with me. I am not across this particular issue to do with the vision impaired. I know that there have been instances in previous elections, certainly through COVID, where we had to take a good look at how we were ensuring that people with disabilities were able to be involved in the democratic process, as is their right, as is all our right. I will commit to contact Mr Hawkey to understand where that is at. I will be advocating for any change that needs to be made to ensure that all Tasmanians have a right to participate properly in our democratic process.

Vision-Impaired Tasmanians – Voting Difficulties and Legislative Change

Ms WEBB question to MINISTER for DISABILITY SERVICES, Ms PALMER

[2.44 p.m.]

Thank you to the minister. I appreciate the answer to the question and the commitment to contact Mr Hawkey. As a follow-up, when you speak with Mr Hawkey and if it is identified that there are ways it can tangibly be improved through legislative reform, will you commit to seeking formal advice from Mr Hawkey to make the legislative change, potentially in the upcoming changes your government is making to the Electoral Act on other matters in its first hundred days plan? That would be an opportunity for you to also include the prompt addressing of that issue.

My understanding is Mr Hawkey would need to be formally asked for advice on what legislative change was needed to address the phone voting issue. I ask the minister to commit to seeing if that is something that could be readily sought as advice and then potentially promptly implemented.

ANSWER

Mr President, I will commit to contacting Mr Hawkey and getting my head around this situation. I want every Tasmanian, regardless of ability or disability, to be able to participate in every aspect of life. My commitment is to contact him and to make sure I am across this situation.

Minister Palmer undertook to take the Question on Notice.

The Minister’s formal response will be posted below once received – stay tuned!