Nearly a quarter of a million people in WA failed to vote in the 2023 referendum and now some are facing legal action after they did not pay a penalty or provide a valid reason for avoiding the polls.
A total of 92 West Australians have been prosecuted by the Australian Electoral Commission after they failed to vote in the Voice to Parliament referendum last year.The commission is working through prosecuting 308 people across Australia.Share article
Data from the Australian Electoral Commission shows in WA just under 1.6 million people cast their vote on October 14, at a turnout rate of 87.53 per cent. Across the nation, 308 non-voter matters have been taken to court, with 92 in WA — the highest in the country.On Monday, the Broome Magistrates Court heard one non-voting matter after a 65-year-old woman pleaded guilty to failing to vote as an elector without a valid or sufficient reason.
Magistrate Deen Potter considered the woman's circumstances and imposed a fine of $100 with court costs.A resident in WA's Goldfields was also fined for failing to vote. Eastern Goldfields First Nations Council elder Bill Ring said a lack of community outreach with First Nations communities led to confusion about the vote."Having someone come to be involved with federal politics, come to the region and with our organisations, to consult with them — that's what it's set up for."
Voice To Parliament Non-Voter Court Action Prosecution Compulsory Voting Voting Vote Broome Kalgoorlie Kimberley Goldfields First Nations Indigenous
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Life after the Voice referendum: Australians weigh up the path aheadA year on from the Voice referendum, the country remains split about what the result means — and about the best path forward.
Read more »
Are First Nations Australians being heard one year on from the failed Voice referendum?Tomorrow marks one year since Australia's failed referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. While a majority 'no' vote was received, it has not been a roadblock for change.
Read more »
Indigenous Australians Minister blames lack of understanding for Voice flopMinister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy has blamed a lack of understanding as the key reason why Australia voted 'No' to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament proposal.
Read more »
Eight staff of Australian Electoral Commission contractor fabricated voice referendum location dataAEC ‘considering its legal position’ after investigation prompted by Guardian reporting into allegations from McNair whistleblower
Read more »
Remote Indigenous Australians paying more than double capital city prices for everyday groceriesChoice finds basket of nine items cost $99.38 on average at four remote community stores in Western Australia and the Northern Territory
Read more »
Australians love a laugh, so why aren’t we making more comedies?Decades after Babe, The Castle and Muriel’s Wedding became hits, the head of the country’s screen producers’ association has declared we should be making more funny films.
Read more »