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Australian Electoral Commission
File reference: Reg4857, 10/646-2
The delegate of the Australian Electoral Commission determined that the Pirate Party Australia should be registered under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.
On 30 October 2012, the Australian Electoral Commission (the AEC) received an application from the Pirate Party Australia (the Party) to be registered as a political party under the provisions of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (the Electoral Act).
The AEC conducted a series of tests usually undertaken as part of the initial consideration of an application and, on 5 December 2012, the delegate of the AEC found no reason to refuse the Party's application and approved its advertisement for public input. The application was advertised in the Commonwealth Gazette and 10 newspapers achieving coverage throughout Australia on 12 December 2012, as required by s.132 of the Electoral Act. A period of one month was provided from that date for any person or organisation to lodge reasons why the Party should not be registered.
One response to the advertisement was received by 14 January 2013, but it did not contain a ground that may be considered under the Electoral Act.
The only bases for objection that the AEC may consider under s.132 of the Electoral Act are that the application:
The objector argued that the witness to a statutory declaration made by the Party secretary had inserted her workplace address on the statutory declaration, not her home address which, the objector argued, might have been required under recent unspecified changes in instructions to justices of the peace. Even if shown to be a breach of the instructions to justices of the peace, that ground is not one which the AEC could consider.
The delegate of the AEC registered the Pirate Party Australia.
15 January 2013
The AEC acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.