Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
If you've just joined us, well, today is the day
that we are just twenty three days out from the
Northern Territory election. We're really getting to the point of
end of the campaign. Now joining us on the line
is the Northern Territory Electoral Commissioner, Kirsten Kelly.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good morning to your commissioner.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Good morning, Katie.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Thanks so much for your time this morning. I imagine
it's going to be a busy one for you.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
It's the day that, as I understand it, the writ
is issued. What exactly has happened so far and what
is going to happen throughout today.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yes, I can confirm Katie that the writ has been
issued and the Northern Territory Electrical Commission has received the writ.
We'll also make the copy of the writ available on
the Antech website later on today if anyone wants to
have a look at that. So that's an important document
which authorizes us to now conduct the twenty twenty four
territory election.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Now I know that it means that the government goes
in to caretaker mode. We've had quite a few questions
from listeners sort of going what does that sort of mean?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Yeah, Well, there are lots of information on the website,
and understand the Chief Minister's Department issued some things on
Facebook as well, and those questions are best directed to
the Office of the Chief Minister to answer about what
that means. And I understand that there's some information online
that can support people in understanding that what the caretaker
period is about. It's not a matter for the Electoral
(01:22):
commisioncause our role is to conduct the election.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yeah, so what does it mate? Well, what happens for
you guys?
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I guess as of today and you know, when are
people going to be able to begin voting?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Has the electoral role now closed?
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah? So the electoral role will close this Friday, that's
five pm. So it's important for those who haven't yet
to go online to confirm they're correctly and enrolled, and
if they're not yet enrolled, to enroll online. And if
you're not sure, you can always give the Anti Electoral
Commission a call. So five pm on Friday is the
close of the electoral role. So that's the second of August.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
All right, And so when will people be able to
begin voting and talk us through some of those key dates.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, absolutely, so early voting commences on the twelfth of August.
So when we have our countdown clock about days to election,
that's to election date, but early voting starts two weeks
guide to that. So Monday the twelfth, early voting options
will be available across the Northern Territory And.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
So can anybody vote on Monday the twelfth or is
it a situation where you've got to have a reason
why you can't sort of go in on the Saturday
the twenty fourth?
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Now can anyone? There's no eligibility requirement to early vote,
and there's no eligibility requirement to seek a post to vote,
and postal vote applications are also currently open.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
And are you anticipating that there's going to be quite
a large number of people that vote early.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
It's an option for people to vote early. In the past,
was seen when the removal of the eligibility for early
voting came in. There was a huge spike in increase
in early voting. And it is a convenience voting and
all of our early voting well, we've got lots of
early voting centers, but we've located them for this election
shopping center to make it convenient for electors. So we're
(03:06):
hoping people take the opportunity to take up the early
voting option over the two weeks before election day, but
on election day there'll be thirty one voting centers across
the territory if people don't early vote to participate. So
we have seen an increase in people early voting, and
in some of our more recent by elections it's come
a little bit more back on election day where people
have voted in about fifty to fifty. But we're still
(03:27):
encouraging people to vote as soon as they're ready, and
there is that two week early voting option as well
as election day voting and postal vote options.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Kristin, can you explain to us because there was some
listeners in contact with us sort of earlier in the
week saying Katie, is it a situation where you're only
able to vote then at those shopping center locations or
will there still be like on that Saturday, the twenty fourth,
will there still be the school option where people can
go to the local schools.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Yes, there are a number of school options available and
what I would do is encourage people to jump on
the Anti Electoral Commission website, all of the voting centers
are listed and we have a new tool where you
can put your suburb in and click your suburb and
it'll list all of the closest voting centers to you
election day and early voting centers based on your location.
So put your stree to dress in and it'll show
(04:15):
you where your closest voting centers are, so you can
see which ones are available during the early voting period
and which ones are available for you on election day.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Can you tell us what are some of the rules
when it comes to those voting centers, and you know,
particularly at the shopping centers, and that can political parties
have representatives standing close to those voting centers or what's
it going to be like? I guess for our listeners
just wanting to know whether they're going to maybe get
hounded by political parties wanting to hand out flyers and
things like that.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
So there are campaign prohibition zones that apply around voting centers,
and that's usually for early voting centers ten meters from
the entrance or the voting center manager can set a
different area, but I can say that at voting centers
because of the nature of voting center operations, the no
campaigning is allowed at voting centers that are shopping centers.
(05:08):
But what we will do is if people are wanting
to see how to vote material or campaign material for
certain divisions, will have how to vote materials available if
candidates choose to provide them for us to put on
display outside the voting center. So in summary, there won't
be any campaigning permitted at early voting centers. There'll be
(05:29):
some exceptions. For example, the Dull And Entertainment Center is
an early voting center, there will be an area where
campaigning will be allowed outside that ten meter zone, but
on election day it's the one hundred meter prohibition area.
And usually when it's a school environment, you captures a
whole school footprint. So there are prohibition areas which don't
(05:50):
allow campaigning in them. Some of the big areas, like
the schools, on election date may have a designated campaign area.
What that means is it's an area that's identified to
allow campaigning. It allows voters to access if they want
to go and talk to candidates, but it also allows
voters to not access if they just want to make
their way to the voting center.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Now, in terms of the work happening in some of
our more remote communities to try to make sure that
there is a good voter turnout. What has the Electoral
Commission been doing out in those areas or what are
you going to be doing out in those areas over
the coming days.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Yeah, So we've just finished a nineteen week engagement education
program in the remote across the Northern Territory. So that
started in April. So we had remote teams, engagement teams
who have visited over seventy communities and with the sole
purpose of promoting the election, talking about the importance of voting,
letting people know when voting is occurring, talking to people
(06:46):
in community about the best places for our voting teams
to set up in community to allow people to in
a easy access. So a lot of work's gone into
the planning and then going out and working in those communities.
So the important business now for us with the Commission
is to keep talking to those key contacts that we've
made through those engagements and let people know, you know,
the voting team is going to be out here this time,
(07:08):
the voting team's coming, and keeping that message moving as
the teams get closer to being in community.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Kris, I don't know whether you've got this info in
front of you, but how many people are on the
electoral role in the Northern territory.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Yeah, so we're currently sitting at the highest minded scenes
that have been at ninety three point six percent or
one hundred and fifty three and a half thousand enrolled
Territorians will be asked to vote in this election.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
And in terms of the voter turnout that we've seen
in previous elections, like how many do you expect to
turn up and vote?
Speaker 3 (07:41):
So in the twenty twenty election, as we had a
participation rate of just over probably seventy four point five percent,
so that's that's quite we'd like to see an improvement
on that. And with an extra fourteen and a half
people now in the electoral role since the twenty twenty election,
you know, we're hoping that those people that previously weren't
on the roll and now come and participate. Some of
(08:03):
those people may not know they're on the role because
they may have been put there through the Australian Electoral
Commissions a federal direct enrollment update, but we are reaching
out to people where we can. If people have their
mobile phone or emails or on their enrollment, we will
use that as a way to contact people just to
let them know when voting starts and to remind them
when the last day voting is if they haven't already voted.
(08:26):
So it's certainly important for people to for the end
of the week just to check their correctly enrolled, jump
online to see where their closest voting center is it's
convenient to them, and then make arrangements to participate in
vote so we can get that participation rate going in
and upward direction.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yeah, I agree, you know, get out there and make
sure you vote, make sure you're on the electoral royal.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
It is really important, you know. In some of these electorates,
and you and.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
I have spoken about this before, those seats are literally
won in some cases by a handful of votes.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
You vote truly does.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Count, It absolutely does count. So we have two five
divisions and three five and six thousand people enrolled, and
so every vote does camp. And the last election, I
believe there's five or six divisions that were separated by
you know, one hundred thirst one hundred or less vote,
So everyone's votes important. It's really important for people to
(09:16):
come and participate in the democratic process of electing the
Northern Territory government.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yeah, hey, before I let you go, and commissioner. In
terms of people putting their hand up to run, when
have they gotten till.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Okay, So that's a really important question. So today the
nominations open and they close next week at twelve noon
on Thursday, the eighth of August, and that's a real
sharp deadline. So there's a lot of information online. We
encourage anyone who is thinking of becoming a candidate to
make contact with MT Electoral Commission to arrange an appointments
(09:48):
to meet, to come and have a chat about what
your rights and responsibilities and obligations are. There is a
five hundred dollars nomination deposit which is payable, but with
just anyone who is thinking of running as candidate, please
please put your nomination in early because there is a
process to go through for us to check and approve
(10:09):
that nomination form. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
I was going to ask you, are there certain criteria
or anything like that that people that do decide to
put their hand up need to meet.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Yeah. So the self government Canal and Territory sets the
eligibility requirements to be an elected member or in MLA,
So the nomination form reflects that and so there's a
requirement for people to be on the electoral role or
an entitlement to be on the electric role, to be
in a strange citizen, to be over eighteen years of age.
(10:40):
And then there's some other criteria where a candidate will
be required to sign a declaration on the nomination form
to say that they are qualified to sit as a
to run as a candidate in the election Commission.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Are a few questions coming through as well, asking sort
of what role the Electoral Commission plays out in some
of those remote communities. I know, at different times sort
of been claims I guess you might say of you know,
political parties maybe doing or saying things to try and
get people to vote a certain way. What does the
Electoral Commission do out in some of those areas to
(11:13):
ensure that nothing like that is happening.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
So in remote communities where the mobile polling stations are
set up, it's essentially a voting center environment. So there
are prohibition zones and things like that. Assent and the
voting center managers for those remote teams will brief any
of the candidates that are there, and the campaign is
about what they can and can't do. So there's absolutely
very strict rules in the Electoral Actor about enticement and
(11:39):
actually move into the criminal legislation as well, so that
information is shared with candidates and parties about what the
offenses are electoral offenses, and we certainly will remind people
and that when we're briefing them and that. But if
there is any concern or anyone does, here's something we
encourage people to make contact with us and where they
(12:00):
can provide the evidence of the yeah, what they've heard
to support what they've heard.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Well, Northern Territory Electoral Commissioner, Kirsten Kelly, I really appreciate
your time this morning. I've no doubt you and I
are going to speak probably a few times before the election.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
So thank you very much for having a chat with
me this morning.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
No, anytime, I'm always having a chat.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Thanks Katie, thank you, thanks so much,
If you've just joined us, well, today is the day
that we are just twenty three days out from the
Northern Territory election. We're really getting to the point of
end of the campaign. Now joining us on the line
is the Northern Territory Electoral Commissioner, Kirsten Kelly.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good morning to your commissioner.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Good morning, Katie.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Thanks so much for your time this morning. I imagine
it's going to be a busy one for you.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
It's the day that, as I understand it, the writ
is issued. What exactly has happened so far and what
is going to happen throughout today.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yes, I can confirm Katie that the writ has been
issued and the Northern Territory Electrical Commission has received the writ.
We'll also make the copy of the writ available on
the Antech website later on today if anyone wants to
have a look at that. So that's an important document
which authorizes us to now conduct the twenty twenty four
territory election.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Now I know that it means that the government goes
in to caretaker mode. We've had quite a few questions
from listeners sort of going what does that sort of mean?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Yeah, Well, there are lots of information on the website,
and understand the Chief Minister's Department issued some things on
Facebook as well, and those questions are best directed to
the Office of the Chief Minister to answer about what
that means. And I understand that there's some information online
that can support people in understanding that what the caretaker
period is about. It's not a matter for the Electoral
(01:22):
commisioncause our role is to conduct the election.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yeah, so what does it mate? Well, what happens for
you guys?
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I guess as of today and you know, when are
people going to be able to begin voting?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Has the electoral role now closed?
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah? So the electoral role will close this Friday, that's
five pm. So it's important for those who haven't yet
to go online to confirm they're correctly and enrolled, and
if they're not yet enrolled, to enroll online. And if
you're not sure, you can always give the Anti Electoral
Commission a call. So five pm on Friday is the
close of the electoral role. So that's the second of August.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
All right, And so when will people be able to
begin voting and talk us through some of those key dates.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, absolutely, so early voting commences on the twelfth of August.
So when we have our countdown clock about days to election,
that's to election date, but early voting starts two weeks
guide to that. So Monday the twelfth, early voting options
will be available across the Northern Territory And.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
So can anybody vote on Monday the twelfth or is
it a situation where you've got to have a reason
why you can't sort of go in on the Saturday
the twenty fourth?
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Now can anyone? There's no eligibility requirement to early vote,
and there's no eligibility requirement to seek a post to vote,
and postal vote applications are also currently open.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
And are you anticipating that there's going to be quite
a large number of people that vote early.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
It's an option for people to vote early. In the past,
was seen when the removal of the eligibility for early
voting came in. There was a huge spike in increase
in early voting. And it is a convenience voting and
all of our early voting well, we've got lots of
early voting centers, but we've located them for this election
shopping center to make it convenient for electors. So we're
(03:06):
hoping people take the opportunity to take up the early
voting option over the two weeks before election day, but
on election day there'll be thirty one voting centers across
the territory if people don't early vote to participate. So
we have seen an increase in people early voting, and
in some of our more recent by elections it's come
a little bit more back on election day where people
have voted in about fifty to fifty. But we're still
(03:27):
encouraging people to vote as soon as they're ready, and
there is that two week early voting option as well
as election day voting and postal vote options.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Kristin, can you explain to us because there was some
listeners in contact with us sort of earlier in the
week saying Katie, is it a situation where you're only
able to vote then at those shopping center locations or
will there still be like on that Saturday, the twenty fourth,
will there still be the school option where people can
go to the local schools.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Yes, there are a number of school options available and
what I would do is encourage people to jump on
the Anti Electoral Commission website, all of the voting centers
are listed and we have a new tool where you
can put your suburb in and click your suburb and
it'll list all of the closest voting centers to you
election day and early voting centers based on your location.
So put your stree to dress in and it'll show
(04:15):
you where your closest voting centers are, so you can
see which ones are available during the early voting period
and which ones are available for you on election day.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Can you tell us what are some of the rules
when it comes to those voting centers, and you know,
particularly at the shopping centers, and that can political parties
have representatives standing close to those voting centers or what's
it going to be like? I guess for our listeners
just wanting to know whether they're going to maybe get
hounded by political parties wanting to hand out flyers and
things like that.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
So there are campaign prohibition zones that apply around voting centers,
and that's usually for early voting centers ten meters from
the entrance or the voting center manager can set a
different area, but I can say that at voting centers
because of the nature of voting center operations, the no
campaigning is allowed at voting centers that are shopping centers.
(05:08):
But what we will do is if people are wanting
to see how to vote material or campaign material for
certain divisions, will have how to vote materials available if
candidates choose to provide them for us to put on
display outside the voting center. So in summary, there won't
be any campaigning permitted at early voting centers. There'll be
(05:29):
some exceptions. For example, the Dull And Entertainment Center is
an early voting center, there will be an area where
campaigning will be allowed outside that ten meter zone, but
on election day it's the one hundred meter prohibition area.
And usually when it's a school environment, you captures a
whole school footprint. So there are prohibition areas which don't
(05:50):
allow campaigning in them. Some of the big areas, like
the schools, on election date may have a designated campaign area.
What that means is it's an area that's identified to
allow campaigning. It allows voters to access if they want
to go and talk to candidates, but it also allows
voters to not access if they just want to make
their way to the voting center.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Now, in terms of the work happening in some of
our more remote communities to try to make sure that
there is a good voter turnout. What has the Electoral
Commission been doing out in those areas or what are
you going to be doing out in those areas over
the coming days.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Yeah, So we've just finished a nineteen week engagement education
program in the remote across the Northern Territory. So that
started in April. So we had remote teams, engagement teams
who have visited over seventy communities and with the sole
purpose of promoting the election, talking about the importance of voting,
letting people know when voting is occurring, talking to people
(06:46):
in community about the best places for our voting teams
to set up in community to allow people to in
a easy access. So a lot of work's gone into
the planning and then going out and working in those communities.
So the important business now for us with the Commission
is to keep talking to those key contacts that we've
made through those engagements and let people know, you know,
the voting team is going to be out here this time,
(07:08):
the voting team's coming, and keeping that message moving as
the teams get closer to being in community.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Kris, I don't know whether you've got this info in
front of you, but how many people are on the
electoral role in the Northern territory.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Yeah, so we're currently sitting at the highest minded scenes
that have been at ninety three point six percent or
one hundred and fifty three and a half thousand enrolled
Territorians will be asked to vote in this election.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
And in terms of the voter turnout that we've seen
in previous elections, like how many do you expect to
turn up and vote?
Speaker 3 (07:41):
So in the twenty twenty election, as we had a
participation rate of just over probably seventy four point five percent,
so that's that's quite we'd like to see an improvement
on that. And with an extra fourteen and a half
people now in the electoral role since the twenty twenty election,
you know, we're hoping that those people that previously weren't
on the roll and now come and participate. Some of
(08:03):
those people may not know they're on the role because
they may have been put there through the Australian Electoral
Commissions a federal direct enrollment update, but we are reaching
out to people where we can. If people have their
mobile phone or emails or on their enrollment, we will
use that as a way to contact people just to
let them know when voting starts and to remind them
when the last day voting is if they haven't already voted.
(08:26):
So it's certainly important for people to for the end
of the week just to check their correctly enrolled, jump
online to see where their closest voting center is it's
convenient to them, and then make arrangements to participate in
vote so we can get that participation rate going in
and upward direction.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yeah, I agree, you know, get out there and make
sure you vote, make sure you're on the electoral royal.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
It is really important, you know. In some of these electorates,
and you and.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
I have spoken about this before, those seats are literally
won in some cases by a handful of votes.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
You vote truly does.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Count, It absolutely does count. So we have two five
divisions and three five and six thousand people enrolled, and
so every vote does camp. And the last election, I
believe there's five or six divisions that were separated by
you know, one hundred thirst one hundred or less vote,
So everyone's votes important. It's really important for people to
(09:16):
come and participate in the democratic process of electing the
Northern Territory government.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yeah, hey, before I let you go, and commissioner. In
terms of people putting their hand up to run, when
have they gotten till.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Okay, So that's a really important question. So today the
nominations open and they close next week at twelve noon
on Thursday, the eighth of August, and that's a real
sharp deadline. So there's a lot of information online. We
encourage anyone who is thinking of becoming a candidate to
make contact with MT Electoral Commission to arrange an appointments
(09:48):
to meet, to come and have a chat about what
your rights and responsibilities and obligations are. There is a
five hundred dollars nomination deposit which is payable, but with
just anyone who is thinking of running as candidate, please
please put your nomination in early because there is a
process to go through for us to check and approve
(10:09):
that nomination form. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
I was going to ask you, are there certain criteria
or anything like that that people that do decide to
put their hand up need to meet.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Yeah. So the self government Canal and Territory sets the
eligibility requirements to be an elected member or in MLA,
So the nomination form reflects that and so there's a
requirement for people to be on the electoral role or
an entitlement to be on the electric role, to be
in a strange citizen, to be over eighteen years of age.
(10:40):
And then there's some other criteria where a candidate will
be required to sign a declaration on the nomination form
to say that they are qualified to sit as a
to run as a candidate in the election Commission.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Are a few questions coming through as well, asking sort
of what role the Electoral Commission plays out in some
of those remote communities. I know, at different times sort
of been claims I guess you might say of you know,
political parties maybe doing or saying things to try and
get people to vote a certain way. What does the
Electoral Commission do out in some of those areas to
(11:13):
ensure that nothing like that is happening.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
So in remote communities where the mobile polling stations are
set up, it's essentially a voting center environment. So there
are prohibition zones and things like that. Assent and the
voting center managers for those remote teams will brief any
of the candidates that are there, and the campaign is
about what they can and can't do. So there's absolutely
very strict rules in the Electoral Actor about enticement and
(11:39):
actually move into the criminal legislation as well, so that
information is shared with candidates and parties about what the
offenses are electoral offenses, and we certainly will remind people
and that when we're briefing them and that. But if
there is any concern or anyone does, here's something we
encourage people to make contact with us and where they
(12:00):
can provide the evidence of the yeah, what they've heard
to support what they've heard.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Well, Northern Territory Electoral Commissioner, Kirsten Kelly, I really appreciate
your time this morning. I've no doubt you and I
are going to speak probably a few times before the election.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
So thank you very much for having a chat with
me this morning.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
No, anytime, I'm always having a chat.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Thanks Katie, thank you, thanks so much,
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