Webinar: Prisoners' Voting Rights
A lunchtime webinar exploring prisoners' voting rights.
Two decades ago the High Court ruled in the Roach Case that there are constitutional limits on preventing prisoners voting in federal elections. Yet, prisoners face a range of barriers to exercise their right to vote.
It was only at the 2025 Federal Election that all states and territories allowed Australian Electoral Commission mobile polling booths to enter prisons. Prisoners are less likely than other Australians to be enrolled to vote. And Queensland recently enacted legislation to further restrict the number of prisoners eligible to vote in state elections.
Presented by the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law and the Australian Association of Constitutional Law, this lunchtime webinar explores prisoners’ voting rights today.
Speakers
Dr Grant Davies, Tasmanian Ombudsman and Custodial Inspector, who will speak to the Office of the Custodial Inspector’s report ‘Overcoming Barriers to Voting in Prison: Review Report 2025’. ·
Denham Sadler, Chief Reporter, About Time (Australia’s national prison newspaper), who will speak to his 2026 report ‘Huge Number of Election Votes From Prison Not Counted’. ·
Ruimin Gao, Acting Director, Queensland Prisoners’ Legal Service, who will speak to PLS’s 2025 Submission on prisoners’ voting rights in Queensland.
Moderators:
Associate Professor Ronli Sifris, Monash University, Faculty of Law
Professor Luke Beck, Monash University, Faculty of Law
Castan Centre for Human Rights Law
The Castan Centre is a renowned academic centre contributing to a world where human rights are respected and protected, allowing people to pursue their lives in freedom and with dignity. We have over 20 years of experience in human rights research, education, training, consultancy, reporting and submissions for the betterment of our communities, both locally and globally.
Australian Association of Constitutional Law
The Australian Association of Constitutional Law was formed in 1998 as a forum for scholars and practitioners of constitutional law throughout Australia. It has some 300 members.
Practical Details
📅 Date: Tuesday 13 October
🕕 Time: 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM AEDT
💻 Format: Online event
🎟️ Cost: Free
⏱️ Duration: 75 minutes
Places are limited, and registration is required to attend.
Event Details
- Date:
- 13 October 2026 at 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
- Venue:
- online
- Open to:
- all audiences, alumni
- Cost:
- free
- Register here:
- https://go.monash.edu/opeycv
Description
A lunchtime webinar exploring prisoners' voting rights.
Two decades ago the High Court ruled in the Roach Case that there are constitutional limits on preventing prisoners voting in federal elections. Yet, prisoners face a range of barriers to exercise their right to vote.
It was only at the 2025 Federal Election that all states and territories allowed Australian Electoral Commission mobile polling booths to enter prisons. Prisoners are less likely than other Australians to be enrolled to vote. And Queensland recently enacted legislation to further restrict the number of prisoners eligible to vote in state elections.
Presented by the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law and the Australian Association of Constitutional Law, this lunchtime webinar explores prisoners’ voting rights today.
Speakers
Dr Grant Davies, Tasmanian Ombudsman and Custodial Inspector, who will speak to the Office of the Custodial Inspector’s report ‘Overcoming Barriers to Voting in Prison: Review Report 2025’. ·
Denham Sadler, Chief Reporter, About Time (Australia’s national prison newspaper), who will speak to his 2026 report ‘Huge Number of Election Votes From Prison Not Counted’. ·
Ruimin Gao, Acting Director, Queensland Prisoners’ Legal Service, who will speak to PLS’s 2025 Submission on prisoners’ voting rights in Queensland.
Moderators:
Associate Professor Ronli Sifris, Monash University, Faculty of Law
Professor Luke Beck, Monash University, Faculty of Law
Castan Centre for Human Rights Law
The Castan Centre is a renowned academic centre contributing to a world where human rights are respected and protected, allowing people to pursue their lives in freedom and with dignity. We have over 20 years of experience in human rights research, education, training, consultancy, reporting and submissions for the betterment of our communities, both locally and globally.
Australian Association of Constitutional Law
The Australian Association of Constitutional Law was formed in 1998 as a forum for scholars and practitioners of constitutional law throughout Australia. It has some 300 members.
Practical Details
📅 Date: Tuesday 13 October
🕕 Time: 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM AEDT
💻 Format: Online event
🎟️ Cost: Free
⏱️ Duration: 75 minutes
Places are limited, and registration is required to attend.