Electoral (Amendment) Act 1998 (ACT)

The Electoral (Amendment) Act 1998 was enacted by the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory to amend the Electoral Act 1992. The Act makes a single amendment to the Principal Act, changing the timing of redistributions from February to October. This change was made to align the timing of electoral redistributions with the federal system.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the amendment to the Electoral Act 1992 was valid and whether it complied with the requirements of the Constitution. The court was required to determine whether the amendment was within the legislative powers of the Assembly and whether it complied with the Constitution's requirements for amendments to electoral laws.

The court found that the amendment was within the legislative powers of the Assembly and that it complied with the Constitution's requirements for amendments to electoral laws. The court held that the amendment did not alter the fundamental character of the ACT's electoral system and that it was a valid exercise of the Assembly's powers. The court also found that the amendment did not discriminate against any particular group or region and that it was consistent with the principles of representative government.

The Electoral (Amendment) Act 1998 was declared to be valid and effective. The amendment to the Electoral Act 1992 was upheld, and the timing of redistributions was changed from February to October. The court's decision was based on the finding that the amendment was within the legislative powers of the Assembly and that it complied with the Constitution's requirements for amendments to electoral laws.