Liberal party headquarters have seized on a routine review of Australia’s most recent federal election to claim Labor wants to give noncitizens voting rights.
An email sent to Liberal party supporters has urged people to write a submission to the electoral matters parliamentary committee, claiming Labor wants to extend voting to New Zealand citizens living in Australia.
“Having citizens of other countries vote in our elections would be a fundamental change to Australia’s democracy,” the email from Liberal HQ said.
“Labor has no mandate for this change, which they didn’t mention before the election. Why extend voting rights to noncitizens from one country, but not others? Would Labor then go further and extend voting rights to noncitizens from other countries?”
The email encouraged supporters to write to the parliamentary committee, providing a link for easy submission.
Australia has allowed noncitizens to vote in federal elections and referendums since federation. Members of the Commonwealth who live in Australia and were enrolled to vote before 1984 maintain that right, and are subject to the same fines and penalties as citizens if they don’t cast a ballot.
Australian permanent residents are able to vote in New Zealand and the Australian electoral committee is looking at whether to extend that same liberty to New Zealanders living in Australia. No other country is being considered under the terms of reference.
The Liberal HQ campaign follows in the footsteps of George Christensen, the former LNP MP turned unsuccessful One Nation Senate candidate.
The former Dawson MP claimed on Facebook that Labor was setting the stage to “rig” future elections by “allowing non-citizens to vote”.
The August post has been flagged by Facebook as “missing context” with the social media company saying “independent factcheckers say this information could mislead people”.
Christensen has nevertheless continued to push the claim, including in emails to his substack newsletter subscribers.
It is usual practice for a parliamentary committee to review the most recent election. The terms of reference for the review include looking at donation reform, truth in advertising as well as extending voting rights to New Zealand citizens residing in Australia.
The committee chair, Kate Thwaites, would not comment on the Liberal and Christensen campaigns but said the committee would examine “all submissions and evidence presented in hearings” as usual.
The committee does not have the power to make changes or submissions – only recommendations. After its report is tabled, the government decides whether or not to take up any recommendations, with any major changes usually requiring legislation that would need to pass parliament.
Submissions remain open for another week.
