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Australian Electoral Commission
File reference: Reg5401, 13/228
A delegate of the Australian Electoral Commission determined that the application by the Australian Sovereignty Party to register an abbreviation under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 should be accepted.
On 9 October 2013, the Australian Electoral Commission (the AEC) received an application from the Australian Sovereignty Party (the Party) to register an abbreviation under the provisions of Part XI of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (the Act). The new abbreviation sought was ‘A.S.P.’.
The AEC conducted a series of tests usually undertaken as part of the initial consideration of an application and on 13 November 2013, a delegate issued a notice under s.131 of the Act that the abbreviation ‘A.S.P.’ was prohibited by reason of s.129(1)(c) of the Act because it is an acronym of the name of an already registered political party (the Australian Sex Party and the Australian Sports Party).
On 14 November 2013, the Party responded to the notice requesting an amendment to their application so as to register the abbreviation ‘Sovereignty Party’. On 27 November 2013, a delegate of the AEC approved the advertisement of the Party’s application.
The legal provisions relevant for an application to change the Register are in s.4 and Part XI of the Act. An extract of the relevant provisions is available. The reader should consult this extract to understand the legal provisions being applied in the tests below.
The application satisfies the requirements in s.134 of the Act, in that it was in writing, signed by three members of the party, stated the applicants’ capacities and their street addresses and included the prescribed $500 application fee. The application met all the technical elements required for an application to change a registered party’s name and abbreviation.
The abbreviation ‘Sovereignty Party’ does not appear to be a name prohibited under s.129(1) of the Act. It is not similar to any other registered or unrelated recognised political party name and does not breach any other provisions of the Act.
The application passes the names test.
On 2 December 2013, the Party’s application to change the Party’s abbreviation was advertised on the AEC website and on 4 December 2013 in newspapers circulating generally in each State and Territory to permit interested persons or organisations to lodge an objection.
The last date by which objections could be received was Thursday 2 January 2014 and no objections were received.
The delegate of the AEC entered the information set out below in the Register.
Notice under section 134(6A)(a)
On 19 February 2014, as a delegate of the Australian Electoral Commission for the purposes of Part XI of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, I amended the Register of Political Parties as set out below.
Name of party: Australian Sovereignty Party
Previous Abbreviation of party name: no abbreviation registered
New abbreviation of party name: Sovereignty Party
(signed)
Brad Edgman
Delegate of the Australian Electoral Commission
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.