{"id":"C1907L00059","name":"Custody and Destruction of Ballot-Papers Regulations (Provisional)","slug":"custody-and-destruction-of-ballot-papers-regulations-provisional","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"repealed","isInForce":false,"actNumber":"59 of 1907","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":20318,"registerId":"commonwealth-C1907L00059-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"Repealed","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Custody and Destruction of Ballot-Papers Regulations (Provisional)","content":"STATUTORY RULES.\n\n1907\\. No. 59.\n\nPROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE REFERENDUM (CONSTITUTION ALTERATION) ACT 1906.\n\nI, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the following Regulations under the Referendum (Constitution Alteration) Act 1906 should come into immediate operation, and make the Regulations to come into operation forthwith as “Provisional Regulations.”\n\nDated this 7th day of June, 1907.\n\nHARRY H. RAWSON,\n\nDeputy Governor-General.\n\nBy His Excellency’s Command,\n\nJ. H. KEATING,\n\nMinister of State for Home Affairs.\n\n————\n\nREGULATIONS RELATING TO THE CUSTODY AND DESTRUCTION OF BALLOT-PAPERS.\n\nCustody of Ballot-Papers.\n\n1. All ballot-papers used for voting at a referendum shall be preserved in the custody of the Returning Officer for the Division in which they were counted until the Returning Officer is authorised to destroy them.\n\nDestruction of Ballot-Papers.\n\n2. When a referendum can be no longer questioned, the Commonwealth Electoral Officer in each State may by writing authorise the destruction of the ballot-papers used for voting at the referendum.\n\nMethod of Destruction.\n\n3. Each Divisional Returning Officer shall, on receipt of the authority for the destruction of the ballot-papers, destroy them by fire in the presence of a witness, and shall in writing inform the Commonwealth Electoral Officer of their destruction.\n\nBy Authority: J. Kemp, Acting Government Printer, Melbourne.\n\nC.6327.—Price 3d.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"model":"kimi-k2.5","source":"moonshot-batch","completionTokens":1339},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulations remain strictly limited to the custody and destruction procedures for referendum ballot papers, consistent with the specific authority granted by the Referendum (Constitution Alteration) Act 1906."},"complexity_factors":["Only 3 short regulations with no subsections or subparagraphs","No defined terms or interpretation section","Linear procedural logic without exceptions, conditions, or cross-references to other legislation","Simple chain of authority: custody → authorisation → destruction → notification"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations set out the rules for handling referendum ballot papers after voting day.\n\n**What it covers:**\n\n- **Safe keeping**: Ballot papers must be stored securely by the local Returning Officer (the official who manages voting in each electorate) until they receive permission to destroy them.\n\n- **When destruction is allowed**: Only after a referendum result can no longer be legally challenged can the State's Commonwealth Electoral Officer give written approval to destroy the papers.\n\n- **How to destroy them**: The Returning Officer must burn the ballot papers while a witness watches, then send written confirmation to the Electoral Officer that the destruction is complete.\n\n**Why this matters**: These rules ensure there's a proper paper trail if someone questions the referendum result, while also ensuring sensitive voting materials aren't kept forever or disposed of insecurely."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/custody-and-destruction-of-ballot-papers-regulations-provisional","history":"/api/acts/custody-and-destruction-of-ballot-papers-regulations-provisional/history","analysis":"/api/acts/custody-and-destruction-of-ballot-papers-regulations-provisional/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/custody-and-destruction-of-ballot-papers-regulations-provisional/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/custody-and-destruction-of-ballot-papers-regulations-provisional/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/custody-and-destruction-of-ballot-papers-regulations-provisional/documents"}}