Operating context

Our environment

The Australian Electoral Commission plays a vital role, delivering free and fair electoral events in an increasingly complex environment. With no fixed date for elections, the AEC must be ready to deliver an electoral event at any time.

The AEC conducts federal elections, by-elections, referendums, industrial elections and protected action ballots. We maintain the electoral roll of more than 17 million people, conduct electoral boundary redistributions, manage political party registration, disclosure and compliance, and deliver a range of targeted education and public awareness programs.

Our electoral system is one of the world’s most secure and transparent. Research shows that nine out of 10 Australians trust the AEC to deliver elections fairly, impartially and with integrity.

Notwithstanding, trust in public institutions is declining, while Australians’ service expectations increase, creating a landscape of deep and unprecedented scrutiny.

Importantly, this includes a focus on more equity of access to electoral services – particularly for those who may experience barriers to participation.

The AEC undertook a Voter 2030 initiative to consider what elections will look like in the future and, more importantly, what users will expect from the voting experience. The discussions and thoughts generated from this initiative are being integrated into our transformation journey so we can ensure we continue to meet community expectations into the future.

In June 2023, the government passed the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023 bill, triggering the first referendum in Australia in more than two decades. In what is already a complex environment, referendum delivery brings substantial changes and challenges. From the lessons learned from the 2022 federal election the AEC will provide an expanded remote voter service offering and is implementing recent changes to the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984. These amendments are designed to ensure a consistent voter experience, in line with the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.

Maintaining the integrity of the electoral roll – and managing the personal information of millions of Australians – is of paramount importance to the AEC. We are acutely aware that a major privacy breach by the AEC may have a significant impact on many individuals. We take all reasonable steps to meet our obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 and to protect the personal information we hold of all voters and others.

Regrettably disinformation, misinformation and malinformation around elections is increasing and is always present. The 2022 federal election marked a distinct and necessary change in the nature of the AEC’s approach to reputation management, and led to the development of the AEC’s Reputation Management System (RMS). The RMS is designed to be an all-encompassing approach that builds on the numerous operational, electoral integrity and reputation management activities already taking place across the AEC, to further safeguard Australians’ trust in the electoral process. The RMS is underpinned by a number of principles, anchored by operational excellence, that together seek to maintain the confidence of the public in electoral outcomes. An important part of the RMS is to debunk misinformation and disinformation about Australia’s electoral processes. After all, if the AEC does not communicate facts about the electoral system, others will fill the void.

We continually monitor the external environment to gauge potential consequences for our service delivery to stakeholders. Natural disaster events, labour market conditions or supply chain movements can all have impacts, as well as the ever changing physical and cyber security conditions. We remain prepared to respond to these risks events and ensure safe voting experiences for all voters.

The AEC is a service delivery agency that also has an important regulatory function. We must be rigorous and above reproach in both domains. We provide trusted services to voters as well as candidates. Australians want accountability and assurance about the integrity of the process. The AEC’s funding and disclosure program provides this in relation to political finance. Further, the requirement for electoral and referendum advertisements to be authorised ensures voters know who is communicating to them.

Disengagement with democracy has been observed globally. The AEC promotes education and awareness activities, and this work is even more important as we prepare for the first referendum to be held in Australia since 1999. Timely, clear and targeted communication is critical to help voters understand and fulfil their legal right and obligation to vote.

As with every electoral event, the AEC will be impartial throughout the conduct of a referendum.

Our role is to successfully deliver a referendum with the highest levels of integrity and our focus is therefore on the process, not the subject matter. It is crucial that the AEC demonstrates political and issue neutrality at all times.

We collaborate with international partners to strengthen democracy and governance in our region. In partnership with DFAT the AEC plays a key role in supporting good electoral practice and democratic governance in a complex geo-strategic environment.

The AEC is an organisation with continuous improvement at its core. Our modernisation program, currently underway, will transform the engines of democracy by introducing voter-centric, agile technology platforms to replace ageing election delivery and roll management systems. This will enable us to continue to meet voter expectations and respond quickly to changes in our external environment. At the same time, we will ensure the ongoing security and integrity of electoral events in an increasingly complex and unpredictable environment.

Our risk oversight and management

The AEC delivers one of the largest and most complex logistical peacetime events undertaken in Australia. Our ability to manage known risks, and to effectively respond to emerging risks in the evolving global environment, is vitally important.

It is crucial that we meet Australian Government and community expectations to provide a safe environment for the public to enrol and vote, uphold the integrity of our electoral system and remain agile in our approach.

Our risk management framework

We take a whole-of-agency approach to managing risks and, in particular, encourage shared management of risks, both across the AEC and with our many external partners. Our structure provides clear systems of delegated ownership, oversight, escalation and reporting. The AEC’s approach addresses strategic, enterprise, project and operational risks.

An important component of the AEC’s framework is our risk management policy, which applies to all aspects of our operations. This policy defines:

• the AEC’s approach to managing risk, and articulates how this approach supports the agency’s objectives and activities
• the principles of the agency’s risk appetite and risk tolerance
• key accountabilities and responsibilities for managing and implementing the risk framework.

Our ongoing maturity

The AEC’s commitment to maturing our risk management framework and strengthening organisational capability continues.

Our two core strategic risks are:

• the AEC fails to deliver a contemporary service offering and does not meet the expectations of stakeholders
• the AEC is unable to uphold electoral integrity.

The AEC has 12 core enterprise risks. To ensure our ongoing maturity in this space, the AEC is committed to:

• supporting risk-taking within our appetite
• strengthening strategic alignment and risk communication
• promoting learning opportunities to reinforce positive risk behaviour
• sharing good practice and better integrating risks with identified lessons
• bolstering collaboration in managing shared risks, both across the agency and with our external partners
• embedding enterprise risk management with a greater focus on key controls.

Strategic risks

The following table outlines our two strategic risks, their sources and mitigating strategies.

Enterprise risks

The AEC has 12 enterprise risks, outlined below. All AEC enterprise risks have targeted mitigation strategies in place that are managed at senior executive level. Governance committees provide oversight of enterprise risks.

Our capability

In an increasingly complex operating environment, we continue to build our business processes and election delivery model through our lessons management framework.

Our people capability

The AEC’s workforce is unique and multi-tiered. Our people include APS employees engaged under the Public Service Act 1999, our event surge workforce, statutory appointments, external engagements (labour hire, contractors or consultants), and our very large temporary election workforce engaged under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Electoral Act).

Collectively, our workforce maintains an impartial and independent electoral system for eligible voters. It also delivers other electoral, education, regulatory and enabling services. Our workforce – with its unique skills – is critical to the delivery of quality services.

This is achieved through a range of initiatives. Among these is the development and implementation of a strategic workforce plan, building organisational capability and ensuring uptake of early intervention for optimal wellbeing. We will continue to attract and nurture high-performing people and encourage workforce diversity.

Learning and development is an integral part of professionalising our workforce. The AEC is focusing on five key areas:

• organisational capability
• learning culture
• accountabilities and responsibilities
• temporary election workforce
• learning infrastructure.

The AEC’s investment in this domain helps build the capability of our people to achieve excellence. As a result, our staff are equipped to adapt to the changing nature of the AEC’s work and evolving community expectations. A highly skilled workforce reinforces our reputation as a professional, responsive electoral management body.

Our ICT capability

IT systems

The AEC is undergoing a once in a generation information technology and communications transformation, with the first tranche of the program expected for delivery by the end of 2023.

It is crucial that the AEC operate robust and fit-for-purpose IT platforms. A modernised electoral management system will greatly improve our capacity to deal with the dynamic security risk environment. Among these challenges, we must enhance our ability to detect, prevent and respond to external interference in Australia’s elections.

The Election Systems Modernisation program (Indigo) represents a major shift in our approach as we develop a citizen-centric, agile technology platform. This long-term transformation will recalibrate how we provide electoral services and ensure the ongoing integrity and democratic resilience of the electoral system.

We are using this opportunity to look well beyond the next election, and to expand our IT horizon on servicing the future needs of voters.

In 2023–24, Indigo will commence tranche 2. Tranche 2 will focus on mitigating enduring and significant risks to electoral integrity and Australia’s democratic resilience. In addition, it will enhance voter and stakeholder experiences by replacing legacy election management systems with modern and secure technologies.

Polling place technology

The Australian Government allocated $24.4 million to the AEC over four years from 2020–21 to expand technology in polling places and to improve services to Australian voters during federal election events. This includes funding to expand the use of Electronic Certified Lists (ECLs) and to develop a digital Officer-In-Charge Return, due for pilot implementation at the 2024/2025 federal election.

ECLs are portable devices – currently laptops – and are used at all mobile and pre-poll voting centres, as well as selected high-volume polling locations on election day.

Polling officials use the ECL to search the list of eligible voters and record electronically when a person is handed a ballot paper. They are also used to print correct ballot papers on-demand.

This investment will enfranchise voters, help prevent multiple voting and enhance election coordination. In addition, the new digital Officer-In-Charge Return will improve polling place management and communications, allowing for centralised visibility and back-end efficiencies.

Our work in this area involves re-designing processes, technology updates and workforce training to support changes to polling place technologies.

AEC Command Centre

Part of the government funding received in 2019–20 was used to develop a new AEC command centre to provide a secure, leading-edge, central point of command. This allowed the AEC to better monitor the 2022 federal election and provide the overarching visibility required during electoral events.

Our broader strategic direction is to modernise and use available tools, data and skills to better manage emerging risks and the changing operating environment. Establishing the command centre aligns with this goal and will help deliver safe and secure elections.

To ensure a nationally consistent approach, we plan to further expand the command centre’s capabilities to provide better connectivity with regional Australia and our remote area mobile polling teams.

Disinformation, misinformation and malinformation

A breakdown in public trust endangers electoral integrity. Everyone involved in the safe delivery of elections must be committed to reducing the footprint and impact of disinformation.

The possible consequences of inaction are serious, including an erosion of public confidence in our governing institutions, and the potential to disenfranchise electors.

In an evolving electoral context (including referendums), threats range from influencing voters before casting their vote to interfering with the mechanics of the voting process. The possible outcome could be a compromise in our ability to effectively conduct an election with a trusted result.

We are a highly credible source for electoral information, and we educate stakeholders. In particular, we are proactive in countering disinformation across media platforms and other channels. We invest in developing and maintaining productive relationships with online media platforms, working collaboratively to counter disinformation.

The AEC’s Reputation Management System is an ongoing endeavour. We will ensure it remains current to inform the AEC’s efforts to counter disinformation about the electoral process and maintain trust in Australia’s electoral system.

Cyber security

The AEC operates within a heightened global cyber security threat environment. This combines with an evolving electoral landscape where an increasing number of individuals and entities seek to interfere with and disingenuously challenge democratic processes. In such an environment, threat actors may be motivated to attempt to adversely affect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of AEC systems and data. This could include tools and information used in election delivery.

The AEC’s cyber security governance program ensures risks associated with our systems and applications are known and mitigated. We continue to strengthen system security through a variety of measures, including heightened monitoring during electoral events. We engage with key cyber security partners, including the Australian Cyber Security Centre, to ensure the AEC has all available information and resources to support risk-based decision-making.

Our cooperation

External cooperation is critical to ensure the AEC continues to succeed in an evolving environment, delivering safe and effective elections into the future.

Election events in Australia

We partner with a range of public and private entities to deliver Australian electoral events. We also foster collaborations and help others.

To meet the enormous task of conducting a federal election, in all its scale and complexity, the AEC works with many Australian Government agencies, state, territory, local government jurisdictions and external suppliers. Partners helping us deliver increasingly intricate voting options in a safe and secure environment include:

• Commonwealth, state and territory agencies, sharing data and improving the quality of the electoral roll
• the Australian Bureau of Statistics, providing population information used to calculate redistributions and enrolment rates
• Services Australia, helping with remote voter services, expanding enrolment services, and call centre assistance
• the Australian Federal Police, assessing suspected breaches of criminal offences of the Electoral Act and state and territory police forces
• Australia Post, ensuring we can provide a choice of postal and enrolment services
• the Department of Health, and health departments in different jurisdictions, providing support and advice regarding the AEC’s COVID-safe measures ahead of electoral events
  
• the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Austrade, supporting the delivery of voting in many overseas posts.

The Electoral Integrity Assurance Taskforce helps safeguard against interference that may impact on the safe delivery of electoral events. Potential threats include malicious cyber activity, physical attacks, foreign interference or disinformation about the electoral process. The security and integrity of the electoral system are the AEC’s top priorities. We lead this taskforce and co-lead its board, guided by other key agencies across government.

The future of the electoral operating environment will be shaped, in part, by the AEC’s close relationship with the Department of Finance. This partnership helps us contribute, when appropriate, to inform electoral policy and legislative reform.

Electoral participation and outreach

The AEC’s priorities include supporting electoral participation for all Australians. We seek to engage voters from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, First Nations peoples, people with disability, young people, people experiencing homelessness, and people in prison.

In October 2021, the then government announced additional funding of $9.4 million to increase the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Australian elections. In October 2022, the government announced funding of $16.1 million to further enhance programs to enable their enrolment and participation. The additional funding is delivering an expanded Indigenous engagement program, designed and delivered in partnership with First Nations organisations, other government agencies and communities.

The AEC collaborates with community organisations and other service providers to share electoral information, raise awareness of election processes, and to promote recruitment opportunities. The AEC also works with state and territory electoral commissions, and other government agencies to achieve electoral participation outcomes for communities. The AEC chairs the Disability Advisory Committee, which fosters accessibility, inclusion and participation in the electoral process by people with disability.

The AEC delivers a range of electoral information and education programs, including our National Electoral Education Centre in Canberra, and a new innovative electoral exhibition at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Writs to Referendums: Celebrating Australia’s unique electoral system is an interactive public space showcasing Australia’s democratic and electoral system and the role of the AEC.

We work with the Electoral Council of Australia and New Zealand to manage electoral rolls for Commonwealth, state, territory and local government elections. In the spirit of mutual cooperation, the council considers contemporary electoral challenges with a view to improving equity of access for all eligible voters.

Industrial elections and ballots

Through our Industrial Elections and Ballots Program, the AEC is required to conduct elections for office holders of organisations registered with the Fair Work Commission. We also hold protected action ballots, allowing employees to vote on initiating protected industrial action. The elections are primarily conducted by the AEC under the Fair Work Act 2009 and the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009.

The AEC is developing a contemporary end-to-end concept to deliver industrial elections and ballots. We face significant challenges running these events in a complex operating environment. Our focus on service enhancement will involve strong collaboration with registered organisations, the Fair Work Commission and other policy owners in 2023–24.

International engagement

The AEC is internationally known for its support of emerging democracies and for its close collaborations with partner electoral agencies. This reputation enables the Australian Government to include electoral support as a key element of development assistance.

Working alongside the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the AEC partners with election management bodies (EMBs) primarily across the Pacific. We help these EMBs to deliver their elections while we continue to further build their technical capacity. As a development partner, the AEC is recognised globally and its knowledge and experience in election delivery is unrivalled.

By building trust, mutual respect and a shared vision, the AEC promotes peaceful and inclusive societies through sustainable development. Our partners in these bilateral endeavours include EMBs, academic institutions and international development agencies.

AEC activities may include:

• technical assistance
• strategic planning and advice
• training courses
• reviewing and updating policies and manuals
• knowledge exchange programs
• workshops
• designing, printing and supplying electoral materials.

The Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand Electoral Administrators (PIANZEA) network is an Australian Government-funded electoral support program led by the AEC. The network has helped share programs and resources for more than 25 years to strengthen the capability of Pacific Island EMBs. Through PIANZEA the AEC supports voter registration through the Generic Voter Registration System (GVRS) for a number of Pacific Island nations. Designed and hosted by the AEC, GVRS is a software application that provides users with a technologically appropriate system to manage their electoral rolls. With the support of DFAT the AEC is now upgrading GVRS to meet evolving EMB and user requirements and to make it more sustainable into the future.

The AEC also continues to play an integral role as a founding partner of the Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) partnership.

This professional development program is focused on electoral processes and is the only initiative of its type delivered to electoral officials around the world. As well as the AEC, BRIDGE partners are:

• International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
• International Foundation for Electoral Systems
• United Nations Development Programme
• United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.