Staff at the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) have been told to avoid the word “voice” in order to maintain neutrality ahead of the First Nations Voice to Parliament referendum.
Commission documents released under freedom of information laws reveal a “writing style” guide urges staff to “avoid using the word ‘voice'”.
“For example, avoid using ‘Your vote, your voice’, ‘Make your voice heard’, ‘giving Australians a voice’ and instead use ‘Your vote, your say’, ‘helping Australians have their say’,” a note at the top of the style guide says.
The note says the word should be avoided “to help maintain the AEC’s neutrality in the context of the upcoming referendum”.
It adds it’s acceptable to use the word when specifically referencing the referendum.
The style guide applies to “internal and external” communication, including “reports, letters, emails or [writing] for the web”.
“The AEC takes its political and issue neutrality very seriously. It is important for the AEC to be neutral in the conduct of our work and in our communication,” the commission’s media and digital engagement director Evan Ekin-Smyth told Crikey.
“When it comes to the referendum, it is the AEC’s role to communicate about the processes we administer, not the topic. The potential exists for people to misinterpret the AEC’s communication about the process and so we take appropriate steps to be as clear as possible about the AEC’s role.”
It comes as Governor-General David Hurley issued the writ for the referendum, which means the process is officially underway. The writ was issued Monday and vote applications opened the same day.
The rolls will close on Monday, September 18, and postal voting applications close October 11.
In the Northern Territory, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia, early voting will start October 2, while in the rest of Australia it will start the following day.
The referendum is October 14.
