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.

1. 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:

   1. 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

   2. 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