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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/aug/17/putting-glitter-in-marriage-equality-survey-could-spoil-vote-abs-warns
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| Putting glitter in marriage equality survey could spoil vote, ABS warns | Putting glitter in marriage equality survey could spoil vote, ABS warns |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Including glitter in an envelope responding to the postal survey on same-sex marriage risks spoiling your vote, Australian Bureau of Statistics officials have warned. | Including glitter in an envelope responding to the postal survey on same-sex marriage risks spoiling your vote, Australian Bureau of Statistics officials have warned. |
| At a Senate inquiry in Canberra on Thursday officials defended the ABS’s capacity to conduct the postal survey of 16m Australians, despite conceding the Australian statistician only learned of the exercise10 days ago and had no input into its design. | At a Senate inquiry in Canberra on Thursday officials defended the ABS’s capacity to conduct the postal survey of 16m Australians, despite conceding the Australian statistician only learned of the exercise10 days ago and had no input into its design. |
| Jonathan Palmer, the deputy Australian statistician in charge of the survey, assured Australians they could be “confident” their opinion would be counted if they posted the survey on time without “extraneous material” in the envelope. | Jonathan Palmer, the deputy Australian statistician in charge of the survey, assured Australians they could be “confident” their opinion would be counted if they posted the survey on time without “extraneous material” in the envelope. |
| Officials were unable to confirm final details of how Australians overseas and in remote areas would be able to vote, promising to provide a paperless alternative which may include phone and online options. | Officials were unable to confirm final details of how Australians overseas and in remote areas would be able to vote, promising to provide a paperless alternative which may include phone and online options. |
| Two groups are challenging the postal survey in the high court on the basis that the appropriation of $122m was not urgent and the ABS collecting data on Australians’ opinions was unlawful. | Two groups are challenging the postal survey in the high court on the basis that the appropriation of $122m was not urgent and the ABS collecting data on Australians’ opinions was unlawful. |
| Palmer told the Senate inquiry that conducting the postal survey was “consistent with its role” to collect statistical information and there was a “clear legislative platform for it”. | Palmer told the Senate inquiry that conducting the postal survey was “consistent with its role” to collect statistical information and there was a “clear legislative platform for it”. |
| He refuted suggestions that a question of opinion – should the law be changed to allow couples of the same sex to marry – was outside its remit, pointing to earlier surveys of opinions including one on personal safety. | He refuted suggestions that a question of opinion – should the law be changed to allow couples of the same sex to marry – was outside its remit, pointing to earlier surveys of opinions including one on personal safety. |
| Palmer said the ABS first learned it would be asked to deliver the survey on 7 August, the day the Liberal party endorsed the postal vote as its plan B, and just two days before the treasurer issued a direction ordering the survey. | Palmer said the ABS first learned it would be asked to deliver the survey on 7 August, the day the Liberal party endorsed the postal vote as its plan B, and just two days before the treasurer issued a direction ordering the survey. |
| At a directions hearing in the high court in Brisbane on Thursday, submissions highlighted that the government was seeking legal advice on the constitutionality of a postal plebiscite as long ago as March, weeks before the May budget. | At a directions hearing in the high court in Brisbane on Thursday, submissions highlighted that the government was seeking legal advice on the constitutionality of a postal plebiscite as long ago as March, weeks before the May budget. |
| Palmer said the ABS had “learned the hard lessons” of the 2016 census debacle, when the agency scrambled to recover from a 43-hour website outage, and had strategies in place to reach all Australians and protect against fraud. | Palmer said the ABS had “learned the hard lessons” of the 2016 census debacle, when the agency scrambled to recover from a 43-hour website outage, and had strategies in place to reach all Australians and protect against fraud. |
| The head of the postal survey taskforce said the ABS would publish data on the participation rate by age and gender but would not “adjust the count to account for non-response”, saying it was not possible in a voluntary survey to account for why people had not responded. | The head of the postal survey taskforce said the ABS would publish data on the participation rate by age and gender but would not “adjust the count to account for non-response”, saying it was not possible in a voluntary survey to account for why people had not responded. |
| The lack of adjustment means the proposition will succeed or fail on a simple majority. Labor senator, Louise Pratt, noted this meant there was no capacity to adjust results to account for low participation in a particular demographic. | The lack of adjustment means the proposition will succeed or fail on a simple majority. Labor senator, Louise Pratt, noted this meant there was no capacity to adjust results to account for low participation in a particular demographic. |
| Asked about what would happen if respondents glitter-bombed the ABS, Palmer replied it was “actively encouraging people not to include anything in survey envelope” other than their response, warning “any extraneous material could result in [it] not being processed”. He described glitter as “particularly problematic” for the count. | Asked about what would happen if respondents glitter-bombed the ABS, Palmer replied it was “actively encouraging people not to include anything in survey envelope” other than their response, warning “any extraneous material could result in [it] not being processed”. He described glitter as “particularly problematic” for the count. |
| Palmer conceded that the ABS “can’t guarantee against theft in a postal process” but warned it would be against the law to open someone else’s mail “and penalties around misleading the statistician” would also apply to submitting another person’s vote. | Palmer conceded that the ABS “can’t guarantee against theft in a postal process” but warned it would be against the law to open someone else’s mail “and penalties around misleading the statistician” would also apply to submitting another person’s vote. |
| He said a person who did not receive a ballot could apply for a new one, which would be reissued with a new barcode, preventing the old ballot being counted. | He said a person who did not receive a ballot could apply for a new one, which would be reissued with a new barcode, preventing the old ballot being counted. |
| Palmer reiterated the ABS would attempt to keep the barcodes of people who had voted separated from the result of the vote, explaining that as data was entered it would “mark off that you completed a questionnaire, but we won’t have a record of how you responded”. | Palmer reiterated the ABS would attempt to keep the barcodes of people who had voted separated from the result of the vote, explaining that as data was entered it would “mark off that you completed a questionnaire, but we won’t have a record of how you responded”. |
| The ABS plans to issue survey forms from 12 September, starting with the hardest locations to reach, with the aim of all Australians receiving their forms “ideally” by 22 September and 25 September at the latest. | The ABS plans to issue survey forms from 12 September, starting with the hardest locations to reach, with the aim of all Australians receiving their forms “ideally” by 22 September and 25 September at the latest. |
| In court for the directions hearing before chief justice Susan Kiefel, solicitor general Stephen Donaghue said he was “reasonably confident” facts would be agreed before the case and it could proceed to final hearing on 5 and 6 September. | In court for the directions hearing before chief justice Susan Kiefel, solicitor general Stephen Donaghue said he was “reasonably confident” facts would be agreed before the case and it could proceed to final hearing on 5 and 6 September. |
| Outside the court Anna Brown, director of legal advocacy with the Human Rights Law Centre , said the “the power the government is relying on in authorising this expenditure is one that allows the finance minister to use funds in circumstances that are urgent and unforeseen”. | Outside the court Anna Brown, director of legal advocacy with the Human Rights Law Centre , said the “the power the government is relying on in authorising this expenditure is one that allows the finance minister to use funds in circumstances that are urgent and unforeseen”. |
| “We can’t see that an election commitment … a back-up plan to an official legislative plebiscite can, in any way, be unforeseen.” | “We can’t see that an election commitment … a back-up plan to an official legislative plebiscite can, in any way, be unforeseen.” |
| Co-chair of Australian Marriage Equality Alex Greenwich said the postal plebiscite was wasteful, unnecessary, and possibly unlawful. | Co-chair of Australian Marriage Equality Alex Greenwich said the postal plebiscite was wasteful, unnecessary, and possibly unlawful. |
| Greenwich urged Australians to ensure they were enrolled to participate in the voluntary postal plebiscite, in case the court challenges failed, and a vote was, in his words, “imposed upon Australians”. | Greenwich urged Australians to ensure they were enrolled to participate in the voluntary postal plebiscite, in case the court challenges failed, and a vote was, in his words, “imposed upon Australians”. |
| “We are prepared to achieve marriage equality regardless of the challenges that face us. This has been a long campaign, a 10-year-plus campaign for fairness and equality … if we have to fight a postal plebiscite we will, and we will campaign to win, we will campaign yes. We know Australians are ready to vote yes.” | “We are prepared to achieve marriage equality regardless of the challenges that face us. This has been a long campaign, a 10-year-plus campaign for fairness and equality … if we have to fight a postal plebiscite we will, and we will campaign to win, we will campaign yes. We know Australians are ready to vote yes.” |
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| Same-sex marriage postal survey | Same-sex marriage postal survey |
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