The ANUSA AGM set the stage for the student body to pass a string of motions which bear significant changes to the electoral regulations.
ANUSA Electoral Regulation 2.4 determines the way candidates’ names are presented on the ballots. Motion 4.5 altered section 2.4.2, which ensures that candidates running on an endorsed ticket will have their ticket name accompany their name on the ballot. Independent candidates will have ‘Group Unspecified’ accompanying their name.
The motion additionally altered regulation 2.4.5, which relates to General Representative elections. The amendment outlines that the candidates will be grouped according to ticket, and independents will be grouped as ‘Not Grouped’. Lots drawn by the Returning Officer will determine the order of the candidates within the groups.
ANUSA passed motion 4.7, which alters section 2.9 of the ANUSA Electoral Regulations, which relates to the limits on campaign expenditure. The previous policy surrounding campaign-related expenditure outlined that the expenditure of independent candidates must not exceed $150. Registered tickets were limited to $50 for each of the first ten candidates and then $25 for each candidate after.
Motion 4.7 highlighted that campaign expenditure will now be updated periodically by the probity team. This level of expenditure will be contingent on the formula; y = min + (max-min) * (ln x / ln 38). ‘x’ represents the number of candidates, and ‘y’ the total expenditure of the ticket. ‘Min’ and ‘max’ refer to the minimum and maximum expenditure of each ticket.
Among the raft of electoral regulation changes was an amendment to the list of exclusion zones on campus, areas in which it is an offence for candidates to campaign. Through motion 4.9, ANUSA passed to extend the list of exclusion zones to include the Kambri Precinct, bound by North Road, the perimeter of Fellows Oval, Tangney Road and Kingsley Street.
Exclusion zones now also encompass the small footpath next to University Avenue between the Copland Courtyard and Kambri, outside the Childers Street UniLodge residences, ANU libraries, ANU teaching spaces, Daley Road, and Hancock bridge.
As in previous years, the Melville Hall Student Space, the Copland precinct, the Tjabal Centre, and the Chifley Library and associated walkway will remain exclusion zones during the campaign period of the upcoming election.
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