The ANMF has called for new federal voter identification laws to be scrapped, stating it will discriminate against marginalised members of the community, including those living in remote areas.
In a letter to all sitting senators, ANMF Federal Assistant Secretary Lori-Anne Sharp said that portions of Electoral Legislation Amendment (Voter Integrity) Bill 2021 created unnecessary barriers to democratic participation for the most marginalised community members.
“The ANMF… strongly urges all members of the Senate to oppose the passing of this discriminatory, unwarranted and potentially racist Bill, which will see many vulnerable Australian citizens denied the democratic right to vote,” Ms Sharp said.
“Making laws that create further barriers for vulnerable citizens to participate in our democratic process is not the vision of Australia that we should be seeking to achieve.”
While the laws, which is set to be considered on 22 November in the Senate, aim to address instances of voter fraud, Ms Sharp pointed out that at the 2019 election, attempts at multiple voting were only found in 0.03% of the cast votes, and that other electoral mechanisms already mitigated against this issue.
“The Australian Electoral Commission’s submission to the Parliament states that there are already safeguards in place to protect against multiple voting, such as real time marking off and other screening processes,” Ms Sharp said in the letter.
“It also proposes a category of voters previously identified as having cast multiple votes would be ‘declared’ to polling officials via a marking on the roll, and only their first vote counted.
“It is not necessary to change a system that is not broken.”
In addition to those living in remote areas, Ms Sharp also pointed out that “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voters, individuals experiencing homelessness, victims of family violence, the elderly, and those for whom English is a second language” would also bear the burdens of the proposed laws.
“For the many vulnerable individuals in our community who are struggling to make ends meet, deal with crisis and intergenerational trauma, and the requirement of providing proof of identification is burdensome and simply unnecessary,” Ms Sharp said.
“Making laws that create further barriers for vulnerable citizens to participate in our democratic process is not the vision of Australia that we should be seeking to achieve.”
Ms Sharp added that the ANMF, as “nurses, midwives and carers”, are well-placed to advocate for the rights of the most marginalised, whom they have “direct, daily experience in working with.”
“It is important that their voices are heard and they must be given every opportunity to exercise their democratic right to vote,” Ms Sharp said.
