Western Australian Consolidated Acts Western Australian Consolidated Acts (1) In the case of a
referendum as to a Bill if within 4 weeks after the passage of the Bill
through both Houses of Parliament there is forwarded to the Electoral
Commissioner —
(a) an
argument in favour of the Bill, complying with such conditions or requirements
as may be prescribed, and authorized by a majority of those members of both
Houses with whose concurrence the Bill was passed who desire to forward such
an argument; or
(b) an
argument against the Bill, complying with such conditions or requirements as
may be prescribed, and authorized by a majority of those members of both
Houses who voted against the Bill and desire to forward such an argument,
the Electoral
Commissioner shall cause the argument to be printed and distributed to
electors or otherwise cause the argument to be brought to the notice of
electors.
(2) Where arguments
are forwarded under each of paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1)
the Electoral Commissioner shall cause the same action to be taken under
subsection (1) in respect of each argument.
(3) In the case of a
referendum other than a referendum as to a Bill, if before the expiration of
the period ending 7 days after the day of the issue of the writ there is
forwarded to the Electoral Commissioner an argument in favour of the marking
of ballot papers used for the referendum in a particular authorized manner
complying with such conditions and requirements as may be prescribed and
authorized by members of Parliament the Electoral Commissioner shall, subject
to subsection (4), cause the argument to be printed and distributed to
electors or otherwise cause the argument to be brought to the notice of
electors.
(4) Where 2 or more
arguments are received in accordance with subsection (3) in relation to
the same authorized manner of marking ballot papers the Electoral Commissioner
shall cause action to be taken under subsection (3) in respect of the
argument that was authorized by the greater or greatest number of members or,
where 2 or more such arguments were authorized by an equal number of members
(which number was greater than the number of members by whom any other such
argument was authorized), in respect of such one of those arguments as is
decided by the Electoral Commissioner by the drawing of lots.
(5) In the case of a
referendum other than a referendum as to a Bill the Electoral Commissioner
may, in respect of each authorized manner in which votes may be marked on a
ballot paper used for the referendum in relation to which no argument has been
received in accordance with subsection (3), invite a body, corporate or
unincorporate, to forward to him an argument in favour of the marking of
ballot papers in that authorized manner and, if before the expiration of
21 days after the day of the issue of the writ a body to which an
invitation has been so issued forwards to the Electoral Commissioner an
argument complying with such conditions or requirements as may be prescribed
or as may be specified in the invitation, the Electoral Commissioner shall
cause the argument to be printed and distributed to electors or otherwise
cause the argument to be brought to the notice of electors.
(6) Subject to
subsection (4), where arguments are forwarded under subsection (4)
or (5) in respect of more than one authorized manner of marking votes the
Electoral Commissioner shall cause the same action to be taken in respect of
each argument.
[Section 9 amended by No. 40 of 1987
s.103.]