Human rights lawyer addresses ‘alarming’ voting protocols for COVID-positive Australians

The Human Rights Law Centre says it’s “alarmed” and is urgently asking questions after it emerged those who tested positive to COVID-19 on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and didn’t apply for a postal vote won’t be able to vote in the federal election.

Only those who tested positive to COVID-19 after 6pm on Tuesday are eligible for the Australian Electoral Commission’s (AEC) telephone voting option, but postal voting has now closed.

It means those who tested positive on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and didn’t apply for a postal vote, but will be isolating, won’t be able to vote.

The AEC said those people would be exempt from a fine, but would not be able to vote.

Kieran Pender is a senior lawyer at the HRLC and said that wasn’t good enough.

“It’s alarming,” he told Tom Elliott.

“They have a fundamental democratic right (to vote).”

He said the law centre would look at launching legal proceedings if the situation is not resolved by Saturday.

Press PLAY below to hear him voice his concern