2007 QUADRENNIAL ELECTION

Nominations

In accordance with the MUA rules, nominations for all positions opened on Tuesday, March 6 and closed at 5pm on Tuesday April 10. There are 28 positions to be filled, including four National Office and 24 Branch positions - six of which are honorary.

Forty two nominations were received, and all candidates were found to comply with MUA Rule 45.

Sixteen positions, including the National Secretary's position, were uncontested, and those candidates are elected unopposed.

Twenty six candidates will contest the remaining 12 positions.

Postal Ballot Dates

The election for all positions requiring a ballot will commence on Monday, April 30, with a postal ballot of all members of the Union who were financial when the Final Roll was compiled on February 23. The total Union membership is 10,835 members of which 10,257 are financial - that is, approximately 95 per cent.

Ballot papers will be posted to voters at the address recorded on the Union's records. The voting period has been reduced to six weeks under the recent amendments to the Rules, making it essential that as little time as possible is spent getting the ballot material to the voter's correct address. Members are urged to ensure that their Branch has their correct address.

The ballot will close at 5pm on Thursday June 14, however a ballot paper will be included in the count, provided that it is received by 5pm on June 19, and the prepaid envelope shows a postmark clearly dated not later than June 14. Voters posting their ballot paper near the end of the ballot period should ensure the prepaid envelope containing the ballot paper is hand stamped at the post office, so that the time of posting is clearly legible.

Replacement Papers

If the ballot material has not arrived within a reasonable period after the mailout has begun (Monday April 30), members should contact the National Returning Officer to apply for a replacement ballot paper. Members are reminded that procedures ensure that no member is able to vote more than once.

Absentee Voting

Rule 47(f) allows a member entitled to vote the right to seek an absentee vote should they not be present at the postal address recorded in the Roll of Voters during the course of the ballot period. In these circumstances, an application in writing should be directed to the National Returning Officer for the voter to collect the ballot material in person or to have it sent to an address nominated by the voter. Such applications need to be made before 5pm on Thursday June 7.

Ships' Crews

A list of shipping is being compiled of those ships whose crews may be away from home for a large part of the voting period. Ships' agents and MUA delegates are being requested to provide such information as the date for the mailout approaches, to enable ballot material to be posted directly to their ship if necessary. This process has worked successfully in past elections providing those members who are at sea with the opportunity to vote.

Scrutineers

Each candidate has the right to appoint not more than two scrutineers being financial members of the Union, who shall be entitled to be present at all stages of the ballot. The appointment of scrutineers shall be by notice in writing signed by the candidate to the National Returning Officer. The scrutineers are there to represent the interest of the appointing candidate, and are entitled to be present at all stages of the ballot.

The Count

The National Returning Officer shall notify each candidate by post of the place and date of the ballot count at least seven days prior to the count. On Friday June 15 the count will commence and shall be undertaken in accordance with MUA Rule 47 (g) to (i).

National Membership Figures

There are 10,835 members in the Maritime Union of which 10,257 (95 per cent) are financial. The following is a breakdown of the financial members for the current elections.

Branch 2007

Nth Queensland: 202

Sth Queensland:1322

Nth NSW: 562

Sydney:1965

Sth NSW: 473

Victoria: 2260

Tasmania: 657

South Australia:723

West Australia:1972

Northern Territory:121

Total:10257

Amendments to MUA Rules

Since the last election there have been amendments to the Workplace Relations Act requiring changes to all union rules relating to elections. Additionally the last national conference adopted changes to the MUA rules that were registered in November 2005. These changes include:

• The use of "abbreviated, derived, or consistently used" names on the nomination form (and therefore on the ballot paper)

• The Final Roll to be made up ten days before the opening of nominations.

• The use of a "declaration envelope" featuring a tear-off flap that the voter must sign before posting the ballot paper back. Information on the tear-off flap is checked against the Roll of Voters, and then the flap is removed from the envelope to preserve secrecy of the vote when the ballot paper is removed.

• Reduction in the voting period to approximately six weeks.

• Provisions to remove long term unfinancial members from the union's register and consequently from the electoral roll.