[LINK] Qld parliament receives first petitions via the Net

[Greg Taylor]

While this is a worthwhile development, an issue of concern is this
requirement:

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/petitions/privacy.htm
"...
The Sessional Orders require the name and address of the Principal
Petitioner to be published on the E-Petition. The personal details of
persons who join an E-Petition will not be viewable in any form on the web
site."

The name and address of the Principal Petitioner is actually published on
the website.  This requirement is hardly likely to encourage anyone to
initiate a petition.  There must be some way to meet the parliament's
requirements without making this information so publicly available.  I am
sure that with traditional paper petitions it is not easy (if even
possible?) for anyone to determine the name and address of the initiator.
Does anyone have any ideas on this issue that could be proposed to the Qld
Parliament?

Incidentally, one of the first (if not *the* first) electronic petitions in
Australia was organised by EFA in 1999.  It was tabled in the Senate on 30th
June 1999 with 12,140 signatures.  The "signatures" were actually E-mail
addresses.  While we used an automated verification system to ensure that no
false addresses were submitted, it was not possible to determine that all
"signatures" were from Australian citizens, so the petition did not fully
comply with the normal requirements.  Nevertheless, it was approved for
tabling in the Senate.

Greg


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-link@www.anu.edu.au [mailto:owner-link@www.anu.edu.au]On
Behalf Of Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Sent: Friday, 11 October 2002 9:27 AM
To: Link
Subject: [LINK] Qld parliament receives first petitions via the Net


Qld parliament receives first petitions via the Net
Brisbane
October 10 2002
SMH
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/10/1034061292209.html

The Queensland parliament has received its first petitions lodged via the
Internet.

E-petitions, as they are known, were launched in August as part of the
government's e-democracy policy.

Three e-petitions have been initiated, so far attracting 118 petitioners.

One petition, which closes on October 18, objects to a proposed
high-voltage powerline being built in the Darling Downs and Lockyer Valley,
west of Brisbane.

A second petition calls for a ban on sea cage aquaculture in Moreton Bay
and another seeks laws to introduce a refundable deposit for recycled cans
and bottles.

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said the e-petitioning system created
another avenue by which the public could raise issues directly with the
parliament.

"It's an exciting development in terms of the increased ability people will
have to communicate with government and their potential to have an impact
on government decision-making processes," Mr Beattie said.

Mr Beattie said the e-petitions would not replace paper petitions.

The petition texts can be viewed and electronically signed here
<http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/petitions/>.

--
You can always tell a politician, but you can’t tell him much
-- unknown

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd@austarmetro.com.au
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