Australian Capital Territory

Electoral (Commission Chairperson and Member) Appointment 2006 (No 1)

Disallowable instrument DI 2006 – 23

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The Electoral Act 1992 provides for the establishment of the Electoral Commission.  The Commission consists of the Chairperson, the Electoral Commissioner and one other member.  Appointments are made by the Executive and may be made for a maximum of five years.  

Section 12(3) of the Electoral Act 1992 requires that before a person is appointed the Minister shall consult the leader of each political party represented in the Legislative Assembly; and all members of the Legislative Assembly who are not also members of such a party about the proposed appointment.  The Attorney General undertook this consultation in February 2006.  There were no objections to the proposed reappointments.

The instrument of appointment is a disallowable instrument, and the appointees are not public servants.  There is no requirement for consultation with a Standing Committee in relation to these appointments.

The Australian Capital Territory Executive appoints Mr Graham Glenn as Chairperson and Dr Christabel Young as member of the ACT Electoral Commission, pursuant to section 12 of the Electoral Act 1992, for a period which commences on the 9 February 2006 and ends on 8 April 2006.  Mr Glenn meets the prerequisite qualifications for the position of Chairperson, set out under section 12(2) of the Act, as he has previously served as Secretary the Commonwealth Department of Industrial Relations as well as other Commonwealth Departments.