22 December 2006

On 22 December 2006, the delegate of the Australian Electoral Commission wrote to the following political parties to advise them they would be deregistered on 27 December 2006, as required by Schedule 3 of the Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Electoral Integrity and Other Measures) Act 2006 :

Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)

Citizens Electoral Council of Australia

Citizens Electoral Council of Australia (NSW Division)

Help End Marijuana Prohibition

Hope Party – ethics equality ecology

liberals for forests

New Country Party

No Goods and Services Tax Party

Non-Custodial Parents Party

One Nation Queensland Division

One Nation Western Australia

People Power

Progressive Labour Party

Queensland Greens

Republican Party of Australia

Socialist Alliance

The Australian Shooters Party

The Fishing Party

The Great Australians

The legislation, which commenced on 22 June 2006, provided for the automatic deregistration of all currently registered political parties six months after its Royal Assent, that is on 27 December 2006, with exceptions for parties that:

• have a member in the current Commonwealth Parliament and have been reviewed by the Australian Electoral Commission as being eligible for registration during the life of the current Parliament; or
• had a member elected to a previous Commonwealth Parliament and by 25 September 2006 submitted a successful claim for exemption from deregistration on that basis with the required evidence in support.

Any political party that is deregistered may re-apply for registration, and must comply with the current requirements in the Electoral Act, including the naming provisions. Political parties that re-apply for registration within 12 months of Royal Assent will not be required to pay the $500 application fee.

Media Contact:

Phil Diak
Director, Media Section
02 6271 4415