Update: Public release of secret Senate voting system

Special Minister for State Michael Ronaldson has refused to table documents relating to an FOI request submitted by Michael Cordover. Mr Cordover's FOI request to the Australian Electoral Commission relates to how the Senate vote is counted. In his response, Senator Ronaldson says that the code for the Senate counting system is commercial-in-confidence. 

Last week, the Australian Senate passed a Greens motion requiring the Australian Electoral Commission to release information on how the Senate vote is counted, and any correspondence on why a FOI claim on this issue was refused.

Greens democracy spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon moved the motion after the AEC knocked back an FOI request by Michael Cordover and then declared him a vexatious litigant.

Click here to read Senator Ronaldson's response.

GREENS MOTION passed by the Senate

330 Senator Rhiannon: To move-That there be laid on the table by the Special Minister of State, no later than 15 July 2014:

(a) all correspondence and documents, whether written or in email form, from the Special Minister of State‘s office and/or the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) relevant to:
(i) the decision of the AEC to have Mr Michael Cordover declared a vexatious applicant, and
(ii) the assertion that Mr Matthew Landauer colluded with Mr Cordover to harass the AEC; and
(b) the source code of the software by which Senate vote counts are conducted.