The Deputy Chairperson of the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body has notified the ACT Electoral Commissioner that two of the Elected Body’s members, Ms Diane Collins and Ms Tjanara Goreng Goreng, have resigned their positions on the Elected Body.

“I am now required to announce the vacancies and call for applications from the unsuccessful candidates at the 2014 Elected Body election who still live in the ACT, who wish to contest the vacancy,” the Electoral Commissioner, Phil Green said today.

Vacancies on the Elected Body are filled by distributing the votes that elected the vacating member.  In effect, those voters who voted for Ms Collins will determine her replacement. As Ms Goreng Goreng was elected following the casual vacancy resulting from the resignation of Mr Rod Little, the votes that elected Mr Little in the 2014 election will be redistributed to determine  Ms Goreng Goreng’s replacement.

“To begin the formal process for filling the vacancy, I have placed an advertisement in The Canberra Times on Friday 5 August 2016 inviting candidates who stood unsuccessfully at the 2014 election to contest the vacancies.  Those candidates then have 10 days to apply to contest the vacancies, if they wish to do so,” Mr Green said.

Applications will close at 12 noon on Monday 15 August 2016.  “A declaration of the names of the candidates who wish to contest each vacancy will be made at 12.30pm that day,” Mr Green said

“As there are two vacancies being filled concurrently on this occasion, if more than one candidate applies to contest both vacancies, I will count the votes to elect the replacement for Ms Collins first. The candidate who is successful at that first count will not be taken to be contesting the second vacancy.”

“If required, the distribution of preferences will commence at 2 pm that same day, Monday 15 August 2016,” Mr Green said.