ORGAN CONDEMNS HOWARD'S GERRYMANDER

[Bolwell, Kristian (M. Organ, MP)]

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MEDIA RELEASE 13 MAY 2004

ORGAN CONDEMNS  HOWARD'S GERRYMANDER

Cunningham MP Michael Organ has spoken out against the government's
latest attempt to win the next election by ensuring people can't vote
against it.  

"By closing off the electoral roll early and denying the right of
prisoners to vote, the Governments Electoral and Referendum laws will
have the effect of silencing thousands of  Australians." Mr Organ told
Parliament today.
 
"In the first week of the 2001 election campaign, 83,000 first time
voters signed up in the 7 days after the election was called and 290,000
people updated their enrolment details, such as reporting a change in
address. Under the government's changes these citizens will be denied
their voting rights at the next election.

 "Instead of making it difficult for young people to vote, the
Government should consider just why young voters avoid the Coalition
like the plague. At a guess, it may have something to do with record
HECS debts, woefully inadequate TAFE funding, invading Iraq, destroying
our environment and its punitive approaches to drug laws. 

"In my view, the legitimacy of the law and the obligation to obey the
law flow directly from the right of every citizen to vote, therefore to
deny the right of prisoners to vote would be fundamentally undemocratic.
The Greens believe that whatever crime has been committed, a prison
sentence should not involve the removal of basic citizenship rights. 

"This Government also wants to increase the size of donations that must
be disclosed by political parties from $1000 to $3000. There is no
justification for these changes. They do not serve the public interest
in any way. They simply make it easier for parties to hide the sources
of their funds.

"In 1854, Abraham Lincoln  said: 'No man is good enough to govern
another man without that other's consent.' These words still ring true
today" Michael Organ said.

More from: Michael Organ MP 02 6277 4366, 0439 442 550
Allen Clark (Media Adviser) 0439 464 439 www.michaelorgan.org.au



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