Federal Labor has taken another swipe at controversial voter identification laws, which it claims would hinder the efficiency of the election day process.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Labor senator Don Farrell said the Coalition's voter ID bill backed by One Nation is designed to suppress minority groups and, in combination with pandemic restrictions ahead of the next election, would impact Australians' ability to cast a vote.
The laws were introduced by the Morrison government in the House of Representatives on Thursday, prompting the opposition to brandish the bill as "racist" and an exercise in American "Trumpism".
Senator Farrell said the Australian Electoral Commission flagged there was little to no evidence of voting fraud within the nation's voting system, and the move was to suppress voting rights for groups that do not back a Liberal-Nationals government.
He noted this would particularly impact Indigenous groups who may not have the adequate identification needed to cast a vote.
"There hasn't been a single prosecution for so-called voter fraud," Mr Farrell said.
READ MORE:
"It looks like the government is trying to install American style voter suppression laws [by] stopping people who they think might vote against them."
Mr Farrell noted cases of double votes were usually attributable to older voters who had forgotten that they had already casted a vote.
Health Minister Greg Hunt also commented on the bill, saying it was vital the integrity of the voting system remains intact.
"I think it's very important that we're on watch against fraud; we have to protect our democracy, and I won't single out any one electorate," Mr Hunt said on Friday.
"What we want to guarantee is that that small number of unscrupulous people cannot vote twice."
On Thursday, the government said there is a declaration vote process built in as a safeguard for vulnerable people.
A voter with ID can attest to the identity of another and if that standard is not satisfied, a declaration vote can be issued.
"Not one vote will be lost that is a formal vote and a real vote from a real person," Mr Morrison told reporters. "Those safeguards are built into the bill."
Mr Farrell also claimed compulsory voting was also a protection against voter fraud in the Australian system.
