STATUTORY RULES.
1911. No. 82.
PROVISIONAL REGULATION UNDER THE COMMONWEALTH ELECTORAL ACT 1902-1909.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the following Regulation under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1902-1909, should come into immediate operation, and make the Regulation to come into operation forthwith as a Provisional Regulation.
Dated this ninth day of June, One thousand nine hundred and eleven.
DUDLEY,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
KING O’MALLEY,
Minister of State for Home Affairs.
Duty of Persons to Send in Claims for Enrolment.
7a (i.) Where any Proclamation directing the preparation of new Rolls for any State has been issued, every person living in the State (whether enrolled on any Roll or not) who is entitled to be enrolled as an elector shall, if a form of claim for enrolment has been left for him at his habitation, or delivered to him, or sent to him by post—
(a) fill in the form and sign it in accordance with the Act and the Regulations, forthwith after the form has been received by him, and
(b) forthwith deliver the form so filled up to a Collector engaged in the Canvass made for the purposes of the new Rolls or forthwith send it by post to the Registrar for the Subdivision for which he claims to be enrolled.
(ii.) Any person who commits any contravention of this Regulation shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a penalty not exceeding Two pounds.
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by J. Kemp, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
C.8096.—Price 3d.
Overview
Statutory Rules 1911 No. 82, titled "Provisional Regulation Under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1902-1909," was introduced to address the need for an efficient and systematic process in the preparation of new electoral rolls in the states. Enacted by the Governor-General in accordance with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, this provisional regulation aimed to ensure that all eligible individuals could promptly and correctly register their enrolment, thus maintaining the integrity and accuracy of the electoral process. The policy objective was to facilitate the swift and proper execution of the electoral enrolment procedures, enabling the timely compilation of accurate electoral rolls to support democratic governance.
This Provisional Regulation came into immediate operation due to the urgency of preparing new electoral rolls, with the aim of ensuring that all eligible voters could be correctly and promptly enrolled. Any individual failing to comply with the requirement to submit their enrolment claim form was subject to a penalty, reinforcing the importance of adhering to the newly established procedures. The regulation was certified and published by J. Kemp, Government Printer for the State of Victoria, reflecting the collaborative effort between federal and state authorities to uphold the electoral integrity of the Commonwealth.
Scope and Application
The Provisional Regulation under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1902-1909 applies to all individuals residing within a State for which a proclamation directing the preparation of new electoral rolls has been issued. This encompasses any person who is entitled to be enrolled as an elector, irrespective of whether they are currently enrolled. The obligation imposed by the Regulation is for these individuals to complete and return a form of claim for enrolment, which must be submitted to a Collector engaged in the canvassing for the new rolls or sent by post to the Registrar for the relevant subdivision. Failure to comply with these requirements constitutes an offence, with a penalty not exceeding Two Pounds. The scope of this Regulation is geographically tied to the specific states where new electoral rolls are being prepared, and it is part of the broader legislative framework that governs the electoral process in Australia. This Provisional Regulation is designed to ensure that all eligible voters are duly enrolled, facilitating a transparent and inclusive electoral process.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of this Provisional Regulation (section 7a) require individuals who are entitled to be enrolled as electors in a state where a new electoral roll is being prepared, to complete and submit a claim for enrolment form. This must be done if a form has been provided to them at their residence, delivered to them, or sent by post. Specifically, section 7a(i)(a) mandates that the form be filled out and signed according to the provisions of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1902-1909 and the regulations, and section 7a(i)(b) requires that the completed form be delivered to a collector involved in the canvassing process for the new rolls or sent by post to the Registrar for the relevant electoral division.
Under this Act, individuals have a clear obligation to ensure they complete and submit their enrolment claim forms in a timely manner. This obligation is paramount when a new electoral roll is being prepared, as indicated by a proclamation. The regulation stipulates that upon receiving the enrolment form, individuals must fill it in accurately and deliver it to the designated collector or send it to the Registrar without delay.
Failure to comply with the requirements set out in section 7a of this Provisional Regulation constitutes an offence. According to section 7a(ii), any person who contravenes this regulation is liable to a penalty not exceeding Two pounds. This penalty serves as a deterrent to non-compliance and ensures that the electoral process is conducted smoothly and in accordance with the law.