Last week, Jones + Associates appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on behalf of a client charged with ‘electoral fraud’.
On May 31, 2024, our client entered a plea of guilty before the court acknowledging he registered the incorrect address on the Australian Electoral Roll via the AEC Online Enrolment Form. That address was being informally leased by our client, but he was yet to physically move to that address, which is a requirement at law.
The learned sentencing Magistrate took all relevant matters into account before ordering that the client enter into a recognisance in the amount of $1,000.00, conditioned to be of good behaviour for a period of two (2) years (Section 19B(1)(d) of the Crimes Act). Consequently, a conviction was not recorded.
In contemplating the appropriate sentence, the court considered various matters in mitigation, including our client’s otherwise impeccable character, contributions to the community and that this matter had been attended with significant media attention.
This finalises a lengthy and stressful time in our client’s life.
Whilst preparing the matter, it became clear that similar issues had arisen in the 2022 Federal election. Notably, a Labour candidate, who was previously held in high regard as a senior economic advisor to the former Prime Minister, was registered to vote in a different electorate to where that candidate was campaigning. Following the Federal Election, that candidate secured his seat. He addressed the allegations, admitting it was an election oversight. Remarkably, the matter was not referred to the AFP for investigation that candidate was not charged for his alleged wrongdoing.
Should you or those close to you ever require assistance or advice in relation to any Commonwealth matters you should contact us at (07) 3229 3166.