Voters need to be aware of where their personal details are going when applying for Postal Votes

Voters need to be aware of where their personal details are going when applying for Postal Votes
One Nation Queensland Leader and Member for Buderim Steve Dickson has reminded voters who need to lodge a postal vote at the coming State election that they can apply quickly and directly through the Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Mr Dickson said, “The voting process must remain completely transparent. In the interests of democracy I would therefore like to draw the attention of voters to a deceptive practice”.
“The major parties run specific campaigns whereby they send letters asking voters if they need a postal vote application form. They enclose official ECQ application forms but it is the return envelope that voters must be wary of.
“When the voter replies by using the reply paid envelope enclosed with the letter, the postal vote application goes first to the Party, not the ECQ.
“The Party does send the application on to ECQ, but not before their officials have recorded the elector’s personal details. When nominations for the poll close, they then send out a How to Vote form or other material for their particular party and continue to use the personal details for campaigning.
“An example of this is from the LNP candidate for Buderim. The reply paid envelope is addressed: Buderim PVA Centre, Reply Paid 87300, ARCHERFIELD BC QLD 4108
“This is clearly not the address for the Electoral Commission of Queensland. Nowhere in the correspondence or the address on the envelope is it identified that voter’s personal details will be returned to the LNP.”
“It is an age old practice of the major parties, and while not illegal, it can be confusing to voters who think they will be dealing direct with the Electoral Commission, not a Party or candidate standing for election.
“I have known the major parties to also target aged care and retirement village residents with the same invitation to arrange a postal vote application, in an effort to obtain personal details” he said.
Mr Dickson said. “The major Parties will refer to this as campaign strategy but Queensland does not need an election of dirty tricks. One Nation is the only Party putting People before Politics.

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