First Nations Telegraph

Getup has slammed the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) announcement that it has failed to ensure polling booths in remote communities would be fully operational on election day, saying it amounts to voter suppression in First Nations communities.

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We call on the AEC to urgently hire and fly people in if needed to fill the worker shortages in remote communities as a top priority, and to urgently release a full list of the booths at risk of not being open on election day.

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GetUp First Nations Justice Campaign Director, Amy Gordon said “The failure to have all remote polling booths open on election day amounts to voter suppression. 

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“The affected electorates have the highest Aboriginal vote in the country, and plans should have been in place to make sure their polling booths were fully staffed.

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“Our local volunteers on the ground in the Cape York Peninsula this week have seen how  people really want to have a say on issues like remote housing, health in communities and cultural heritage.

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“Nothing must stand in the way of every First Nations person casting their vote.

 

“The AEC must urgently hire and fly people in if needed to fill the worker shortages in remote communities as a top priority, or provide alternative ways for people to cast their vote.

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“We have warned the Morrison government about this issue for months and nothing has been done,” said Amy Gordon.