Casual vacancy in the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body to be filled by countback

MEDIA RELEASE
10 June 2025

The Chairperson of the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body has notified the Electoral Commissioner that one of the Elected Body’s members, Mr Billy T Tompkins, has resigned his position on the Elected Body.

‘I am now required to announce the vacancy and call for applications from the unsuccessful candidates at the 2024 Elected Body election who still live in the ACT and who wish to contest the vacancy,’ the Electoral Commissioner, Damian Cantwell AM CSC said today.

‘Vacancies on the Elected Body are filled by distributing the votes cast for the former member. In effect, those electors who voted for Mr Tompkins will determine his replacement,’ Mr Cantwell said.

‘To begin the formal process for filling the vacancy, I will place an advertisement in The Canberra Times on Tuesday, 10 June 2025 inviting eligible candidates who stood unsuccessfully at the 2024 election to contest the vacancy. Those candidates will then have 10 days to apply to contest the vacancy, if they wish to do so,’ Mr Cantwell said.

Applications will close at 12 noon on Friday, 20 June 2025. ‘A declaration of the names of the candidates who wish to contest the vacancy will be made at 12.30 pm that same day,’ Mr Cantwell said.

‘If more than one candidate applies to contest the vacancy, a distribution of the votes received by Mr Tompkins will take place at the Elections ACT office at 2 pm on 20 June 2025 to elect a candidate to fill the vacancy,’ Mr Cantwell said.

Damian Cantwell AM CSC
Electoral Commissioner

Further information:
ACT Electoral Commission
Nara Centre, 3 Constitution Ave
Canberra City ACT 2601
Phone (02) 6205 0033
Email: elections@act.gov.au
Homepage: www.elections.act.gov.au

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Media contact:
Viviana.torres@act.gov.au
(02) 620 73358