Thursday, 5 March 2026

Electoral Amendment Bill 2025

Second reading

Debate resumed on motion of Mary-Anne Thomas:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Motion agreed to.

Read second time.

Circulated amendments

Circulated government amendments as follows agreed to:

1.   Clause 1, page 2, lines 3 and 4, omit all words and expressions on these lines.

2.   Clause 2, lines 7 to 15, omit all words and expressions on these lines and insert –

“(1) Subject to subsection (2), this Act comes into operation on a day or days to be proclaimed.

(2) If a provision of this Act does not come into operation before 1 July 2026, it comes into operation on that day.”.

3.   Clause 4, lines 26 and 27, omit all words and expressions on these lines and insert –

“(b) appointed under section 18;”.

4.   Clause 8, omit this clause.

5.   Clause 9, omit this clause.

6.   Clause 12, line 20, omit “and” and insert “or”.

7.   Clause 12, line 21, omit “and” and insert “or”.

8.   Clause 45, page 36, line 19, after “after” insert “the close of the roll for”.

9.   Clause 45, page 36, line 21, omit “supplementary election day” and insert “day on which the writ for the supplementary election is issued”.

10.   Clause 73, line 6, omit “New section 225 inserted” and insert “Part 13 substituted”.

11.   Clause 73, line 7, omit all words and expressions on this line and insert –

‘For Part 13 of the Principal Act substitute –

“Part 13 – Transitional provisions – Electoral Amendment Act 2025’

12.   Clause 73, line 8, omit ‘“225’ and insert “224”.

13.   Heading preceding clause 74, line 4, omit “nominated entities” and insert “public funding”.

14.   Clause 74, lines 8 to 29, omit all words and expressions on these lines.

15.   Clause 74, page 53, line 1, omit “independent” and insert ‘“independent’.

16.   Clause 74, page 53, line 11, omit “party;” and insert ‘party;”;’.

17.   Clause 74, page 53, line 12, omit all words and expressions on this line.

18.   Clause 74, page 53, lines 13 to 16, omit all words and expressions on these lines.

19.   Clause 74, page 53, line 30, omit ‘member;”;’ and insert ‘member;”.’.

20.   Clause 74, page 54, lines 1 to 34, page 55, lines 1 to 34, page 56, lines 1 to 34 and page 57, lines 9 to 13, omit all words and expressions on these lines.

21.   Clause 75, omit this clause.

22.   Clause 76, omit this clause.

23.   Clause 77, omit lines 6 to 30 and insert –

“In section 207G of the Principal Act, the definition of independent elected member is repealed.”.

24.   Clause 78, lines 2 to 33 and page 61, lines 1 to 12, omit all words and expression on these lines and insert –

‘In section 208(2) of the Principal Act, for “a candidate in the election who was not endorsed by a registered political party” substitute “an independent candidate in the election”.’.

25.   Clause 83, omit this clause.

26.   Clause 84, omit this clause.

27.   Clause 85, omit this clause.

28.   Clause 86, omit this clause.

29.   Clause 87, omit this clause.

30.   Clause 88, omit this clause.

31.   Clause 89, omit this clause.

32.   Clause 90, omit this clause.

33.   Clause 91, omit this clause.

34.   Clause 108, lines 3 and 4, omit “the first anniversary of the day on which it received the Royal Assent” and insert “1 July 2027”.

Third reading

Motion agreed to.

Read third time.