Citizenship and Government - Projects
Bringing Democracy Home - Enfranchising Australia's
Homeless Citizens
David MacKenzie, Brian Costar and Denise Meredyth have
been funded by a Swinburne Collaborative Research grant to work with
the Australian Electoral Commission on a new study of homeless people
and voter registration. This is a one-year project that will bring together
expertise on homelessness, electoral systems and social exclusion.
| Aims of the project | Background | Contact
the researchers | Project partners | More
information |
Aims of the project
The aim of this research project is, in collaboration with the AEC,
to conduct quantitative and qualitative research on the circumstances
and reasons for the non-enrolment of so many homeless persons so that
effective strategies may be developed to enhance their enfranchisement.
Background
Australia is rightly proud of the fact that it operates the most inclusive
franchise in the liberal democratic world. Far in advance of all countries
save New Zealand, women won the right to vote and to stand for the federal
parliament through the Franchise Act 1902.
When all indigenous Australians were enfranchised by 1962 the last vestiges
of exclusivity were removed (Chesterman & Phillips, 2003). All Australians
whose name appears on the relevant electoral roll have the right to vote.
To qualify for inclusion on the roll a person must:
- be 18 years of age or more
- be an Australian citizen
- have lived at their current address for one month.
Only the following are not entitled to be enrolled:
- those of unsound mind (this is not interpreted
punitively)
- a person convicted of treason and not pardoned
(there are no such persons in Australia)
- those convicted and under sentence for a crime
punishable by imprisonment for five years or longer
(comparatively this is a very liberal provision,
especially compared to the USA where most persons
convicted of any felony lose the right to vote –sometimes
permanently (Costar, 2003, pp 95–7).
The desire for inclusivity and participation in the electoral process
is reflected in the fact that enrolment for those eligible is compulsory
as is voting for those enrolled. However, recent social changes have
contributed to a substantial rise in a cohort of citizens who are grossly
under-represented on the Electoral Roll and are denied the right to vote –the
homeless.
The latest census data (2001) records Australia’s homeless population
at 99,900, of whom 88,000, according to the Homeless Persons’Legal
Clinic (HPLC), are eligible to enrol to vote (Joint Select Committee
on Electoral Matters (JSCEM), 2003, p 83).
The magnitude of the problem can be judged from the fact that, while
Section 96 of The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (CEA) permits the enrolment
of those without a permanent address, only 3965 persons in 2001 were
enrolled pursuant to S 96. Furthermore the Australian Electoral Commission
(AEC) is of the view that the bulk of those enrolled under S 96 are not ‘homeless’in
the usual sense of that term. Rather they are itinerant workers such
as shearers and fruit pickers and ‘grey nomads’on prolonged
caravan holidays (Shannon, 2001, p 8).
To deny such a large cohort of already disadvantaged citizens such as
the homeless effective electoral enfranchisement is not compatible with
Australia's otherwise highly inclusive representative democracy. Thus,
this research project addresses an important political deficiency and
its solution will be instructive not just in Australia but also overseas.
Contact the researchers
The project is interested in identifying strategies for engaging people
experiencing homelessness in the electoral process. In order to achieve
this, it is also necessary to know the most effective way of communicating
with people in this situation. If you have any suggestions on either
of these issues we would like to hear from you.
Email
dmackenzie@swin.edu.au
Address
Bringing Democracy Home
Institute for Social Research
Swinburne University
PO Box 218
Hawthorn VIC 3122
Phone
David MacKenzie, Institute for Social Research: (03) 9214 4401
Brian Costar, Monash University: (03) 9903 2274
We thank you in advance for your input and look forward to working with
you in Bringing Democracy Home.
Project partners
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