Annual Review 2003, May 2004

Appendix 6 - Terms of Reference - Inquiry into Electronic Democracy

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Parliamentary Committees Act 1968

REFERRAL OF INQUIRY TO SCRUTINY OF ACTS AND REGULATIONS COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENT

Inquiry on Electronic Democracy

Order in Council

The Lieutenant-Governor as the Governor's deputy, with the advice of the Executive Council, under section 4F of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1968, requests that the:

Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee of Parliament inquire into, consider and report to Parliament on:

1) netcasting of Parliamentary proceedings;

2) online interactive and collaborative approaches to policy discussion, including citizen email and online forums; and

3) other technology solutions to promote access and participation.

And to this end consider the core issues of the:

1) potential impact of new and emerging technologies on the democratic processes of government;

2) options available to improve democratic processes through the use of such technologies (for example, through electronically enabled voting);

3) costs and benefits of new technologies that promote e-democracy;

4) equitable access of all citizens to e-democracy;

5) legal and regulatory factors; and

6) educational or social barriers to the implementation of e-democracy.

In order to review and make recommendations on any necessary or desirable amendments to the Electoral Act 2002, the Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000 and any other relevant legislation to facilitate these opportunities.

The Committee should have regard to experiences in Victoria and other jurisdictions as well as the evidence on e-democracy included in the discussion paper undertaken by the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee of the 54th Parliament.

This Inquiry has been proposed to examine the above matters with a focus on public participation in democratic and parliamentary processes. It is not intended to examine issues relating to service delivery and government on-line processes.

The Committee is required to report to Parliament by 31 March 2004.

Dated 3 June 2003

Responsible Minister:
STEVE BRACKS
Premier

BRIAN TUKE
Acting Clerk of the Executive Council

Victoria Government Gazette, G23, 5 June 2003, p 1314