WA Government in search for new electoral commissioner after short stint of former commissioner Robert Kennedy

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Cook government will begin the search for a new electoral commissioner after Robert Kennedy resigned almost nine months after the problem-plagued March state poll. The Opposition wants the government take its share of the blame and make structural changes to ensure there are no future funding shortfalls.

Transcript

00:00The Premier keeping his praise to the bare minimum.

00:05I'd like to thank Robert Kennedy for his service in the role of the Electoral Commission.

00:10Mr Kennedy had taken leave following the election

00:13that was beset by reports of long wait times

00:16and some polling places running out of ballot papers.

00:19I think the government needs to accept blame

00:21that underneath all of the decisions that were being made

00:24by the Electoral Commission was budget.

00:27An independent inquiry into the poll concluded the problems largely stemmed

00:32from the state government denying an extra $12 million

00:35requested by Mr Kennedy for the election.

00:38The report recommended giving the Electoral Commission

00:41the statutory right to extra funding to meet its operational needs.

00:45But no hard commitment from the government.

00:48We'll certainly be utilising that report to guide us

00:51in relation to future funding arrangements and all other arrangements.

00:55Mr Kennedy's resignation means Parliament did not have to vote

00:58on whether to remove him.

01:00Bowing to pressure as the Parliament prepared to debate a national's motion to oust him

01:04and the government was considering its own steps to force him out.

01:08Us being actually notified through the media

01:10that there was a letter being delivered to the former commissioner

01:13about and an ultimatum through the media

01:16was just not something that we expected.

01:19So we understand that led to a period of some confusion and concern

01:23but these matters have been taken out of our hands

01:26and Mr Kennedy has resigned.

01:28Mr Kennedy will remain on paid leave until the end of January.

01:37That's that's great.

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