Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 224
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
Box [13/10801] includes papers relating to: the origins of air
travel insurance; Treasury proposals in relation to insurance
cover; increase of cover under Personal Accident Policies for
Ministers of the Crown in view of their increased remuneration
(approved by Cabinet at its meeting of 14 June 1960); premiums
payable; and, increased coverage under Personal Accident
Insurance for members of Boards etc approved by the Premier in
November 1961. Also included are: copies of Treasury circulars
relating to the "Insurance of Members of Boards, Commissions and
other bodies and Crown Employees not covered by Workers'
Compensation Act"; and, Cabinet minutes and decisions.
File 62/2342: Constitution (Amendment) Act, 1962-63
This file relates to the proposed amendment of the Constitution
Act, 1902, in relation to the public contractor provisions (contracts
for or on account of the public service) contained in sections 13
and 14 of the Act. These provisions encompassed a number of
transactions by a member of Parliament which might be held to
result in disqualification, for example entering into a contract with
the Postmaster-General for the installation and use of a telephone
or a tenancy from the Housing Commission of NSW. The purpose
of the amendments was to limit the disqualification in section 13
to contracts with the Public Service of New South Wales and to
specify the type of contract which, if entered into by a member,
would not disqualify that member.
CGS 12060,
File 62/2342
in [12/8628]
Included are: copies of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 1962;
comments on and suggested amendments to the legislation,
including those by the opposition; draft and final Cabinet minutes;
draft speeches at the first and second readings of the Bill;
newspaper clippings; papers relating to Her Majesty's assent to
the Bill; draft, and final, Proclamation of 24 April 1963 signifying
Her Majesty's assent on 17 January 1963 to the Bill (the Bill
intituled "An Act to make further provision with respect to the
disqualification of persons who may be elected, or sit or vote as
members of the Legislative Council or Legislative Assembly; for
this purpose to amend the Constitution Act, 1902, and certain
other Acts; and for purposes connected therewith"); and an
extract from the Government Gazette of 26 April 1963.
Elections
In 1957 electors of both sexes had to be British subjects by birth or naturalisation and
be aged 21 years or more. In the case of New South Wales, electors must have resided
in Australia for six months, in the State for three months and in the relevant electoral
sub-division for one month before enrolment.
The major change in the franchise since then has been the extension of voting to 18
year olds. The Parliamentary Electorates and Elections (Amendment) Act, 1970 gave the
right to vote to 18, 19 and 20 year old persons who are otherwise eligible to do so but,
by arrangement, both the Commonwealth of Australia's and the State's legislation did
not commence until 21 March 1973.
Currently all eligible persons (Australian citizens aged 18 and over) are required to enrol
once they have lived at their present address for at least one month. British subjects
who were on an Australian electoral roll on 25 January 1984 are also entitled to vote.
Exceptions apply for itinerant voters, persons in Antarctica and overseas voters.
State Records Authority of New South Wales
221
