Secret voting in this year’s Federal election
20 August 2007
For the first time in Australian history, people who are blind or have low vision will be able to cast an independent and secret vote in this year's Federal election.
Last week, Vision Australia's External Communications team arranged for Michael Simpson, General Manager Policy and Advocacy to be interviewed by Eleanor Hall from ABC's The World Today about how this will make a difference in the lives of people who are blind or have low vision.
As you will hear, Eleanor Hall states that this is the first time people who are blind or have low vision will be able to vote independently and in secret in any election. We know that this is not correct and would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the Victorian Electoral Commission who made similar technology available for their last state election.
Unfortunately the interviewer missed the word 'Federal' from her introduction. We have notified the ABC of this inaccuracy.
Vision Australia centre's across NSW, ACT Victoria and Queensland and the Australian Electoral Commission are currently hosting special demonstrations of electronic voting ahead of the election.
Demonstrations will be held as follows:
- Vision Australia Warragul - Monday 20 August. Please contact Sandra Fitzpatrick at Warragul on 03 5623 0100
- Vision Australia Coffs Harbour - Tuesday 21 August. Please contact Lynn Dalmazzo at Coffs harbour on 02 6651 1863
- Vision Australia Albury - Tuesday 4 September by appointment. Please contact Kerry Strauch at Albury/Wagga Wagga on 02 6023 6611
- Vision Australia Wollongong - Monday 10 September. Please contact the Wollongong team on 02 4225 9727
- Vision Australia Kooyong - Thursday 13 September. Please contact Julie McConnell at Kooyong on 03 9864 9222
- Vision Australia Prahran - Friday 14 September. Please contact Tony Clark at Prahran on 03 9520 5555