Letter to the Editor

In 1992, as a bright and shiny new investigator, I was allocated a file about multiple voting in a single Federal electorate in South West Sydney – 1 of of 150 electorates nationwide. This involved the same person allegedly voting at a number of booths in the same electorate on the same day. I interviewed a large number of people who had their names crossed off at a number of booths. What I found was that everyone denied multiple voting. The criteria for voting, as now, was stating their name, address and date of birth. Not difficult information to acquire. Some of them I assessed as genuine. Most blamed their cousins etc which was able to be legally proved. All of the elector details could be readily accessed via the electoral roll. Nothing was done. In a digital age, multiply that tenfold. The electoral system here is utterly corrupted, not least by the fact that investigations are not allocated until after the results are decided.

from Romitas

Sydney