ARM
Media Statement - 7 October 1999
Monarchist
Minister may have breached electoral laws
The Federal Minister for Industry,
Science and Resources, Senator Nick Minchin, appears
to have breached the very electoral laws he once administered
as Special Minister of State by distributing a brochure
to constituents in South Australia opposing the republic
- but without the required authorisation or name of
the printer.
The brochure, brandished with signs such as "Warning",
"Danger Ahead", "Stop" was distributed by Senator
Minchin to constituents in South Australia without
the name and address of the person who authorised
the material in the brochure and without the name
and address of the company which printed the brochure,
which is required by law.
Under electoral laws for the referendum Referendum
(Machinery Provisions) Act, 1984 - which Senator
Minchin once administered as Special Minister of State
- provisions state:
121.
Printing and publication of advertisements, notices
etc.
-
A
person shall not print, publish or distribute
or cause, permit or authorise to be printed,
published or distributed an advertisement, handbill,
pamphlet or notice relating to a referendum
and intended or calculated to affect the result
of the referendum unless:
-
the
name and address (not being a post-office
box) of the person who authorised the advertisement,
handbill, pamphlet or notice appears at
the end thereof; and
-
in
the case of an advertisement, handbill,
pamphlet or notice that is printed otherwise
than in a newspaper - the name and place
of business of the printer appears at the
end thereof.
The national communications director for the Australian
Republican Movement, Wayne Burns, said today that
the Australian Electoral Commission will no doubt
receive a copy of the brochure.
Under the Act, a person who contravenes subsection
one which deals with authorisation of printed material,
if found guilty, could be fined.
Authorised by Malcolm Turnbull, Australian
Republican Movement, 60 Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000
