On 15 March, 2013, we accompanied Professor Hiroaki Inatsugu, from Waseda University, to a meeting with the NSW Electoral Commission. Mr Colin Barry, the NSW Electoral Commissioner, met with us and explained the Electoral Commission’s history, the Electoral Commission’s role in local government elections, the routine procedures which take place on Election Day, responsibilities of the Electoral Commissioner, and other aspects of the electoral system in NSW.
Having previously served as the Commissioner for the Victorian Electoral Commission, Mr Barry was able to provide us some information about the electoral system in Victoria as well. His extensive experience and knowledge allowed us to learn about electoral system in NSW and at the local government level from several points of view.
Professor Inatsugu with Commissioner Barry. March 2013
Through our visit, we noticed that there are many differences between the electoral system in Japan and that of Australia. For example, in Australia, voting is compulsory, including in local government elections. Also, in NSW, candidates are allowed to campaign on Election Day.
In addition to the NSW Electoral Commission, we arranged visits to the Australian Electoral Commission (Canberra), Australian National University, and the New Zealand Electoral Commission (Wellington) for Professor Inatsugu as part of our support services. He was able to gather a lot of information for his research project. Many thanks to all those who helped make his visit a success.
