Upcoming Elections and the Vote

The next Australian federal election will probably be held sometime between August and December 2007.
Frankly I've never thought it moral to vote in an Australian election, being so far away and out of touch, but you might not agree with that. Besides it's not unforeseeable that Australian foreign policy might change at some juncture in time, and with that change your mind on the issue.
It's not compulsory to vote once you are outside Australia. But once you don't vote, you run a high risk of being wiped off the electoral roll. That might not worry you either. Some of us are relieved and happy not to have to vote once they leave the country. But quite a few expat Aussies get pretty upset when they find that they can't vote.
Probably it's too late for most of us to try to enrol after living away from Australia for decades, but maybe you know someone who still can vote and wants to. It’s not that Australians have no right to vote at home once they go overseas. But it is a little-known fact that if you don't do everything right and fill in the correct AEC forms in a timely manner once you do go, you will end up inadvertently disenfranchised.
If you are not on the electoral roll, AND it's now more than three years since you left to live overseas, then Australian federal electoral law actually prohibits you from (re)enrolling from abroad.GetUp! - Action For Australia think there are in the order of half a million disenfranchised Aussies around the globe. That's the equivalent of 5 or 6 electorates.
Australian Electoral Commission enrolment forms and procedures changed on 16 April 2007. New proof of identity requirements are now in place. Overseas applicants for enrolment have to provide their Australian passport number or Australian driver's licence number on the enrolment form. Most expats should have current passports and have no problem with this change. But if you don't have a passport or licence, other proof of identity is required plus the form will need to be witnessed by an "authorised person". If you can't manage that, then two people already enrolled, who've known you for a month or more, will have to confirm your identity. Click here for the new AEC Overseas Enrolment Form.