8Entitlement to register to vote by a secure telephone vote

8 Entitlement to register to vote by a secure telephone vote

(1) An individual must register as a secure telephone voter in order to vote by a secure telephone vote in a general election, Senate election or by‑election.

Note: In order to vote by a secure telephone vote, a registered secure telephone voter must call an authorised call centre on a day on which and at a time when voting by a secure telephone vote is available for the individual. The registered secure telephone voter must also meet the other requirements in section 11.

(2) Subject to subsection 7(1), the individual is entitled to be registered as a secure telephone voter if the Electoral Commissioner is satisfied that: (a) the individual’s name is on an approved list of voters, a certified list of voters or a reference Roll; and (b) the individual has not already voted in the election; and (c) the individual became a coronavirus affected individual in the period beginning: (i) at 6.01 pm on the Friday that is 8 days before the polling day in the election; and (ii) ending at the latest time when the individual may apply to be registered by the Electoral Commissioner as a secure telephone voter; and (d) the individual has been directed, by a public health authority of a State or Territory under a public health order of the State or Territory, to self‑isolate or quarantine: (i) because the individual has tested positive for the coronavirus known as COVID‑19 on a test approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for that purpose; or (ii) because of a matter specified by the Minister under subsection (3); and (e) because of the direction, the public health order prevents the individual from attending a polling place in that State or Territory at any time during the period: (i) beginning at 6.01 pm on the Wednesday that is 3 days before the polling day in the election; and (ii) ending at 4 pm on the polling day for the election.

Note: Due to paragraph (a) of this subsection, a provisional or declaration vote cannot be cast by a secure telephone vote.

(3) The Minister may, in writing, specify matters for the purposes of subparagraph (2)(d)(ii). A specified matter must be a matter because of which an individual becomes, or continues to be, a coronavirus affected individual.