The federal government has committed $6 million to the Australian Electoral Commission for the creation of an interactive public exhibition about the nation’s voting system.
The funding, to be delivered in Tuesday’s federal budget, will also pay for upgrades at the AEC’s National Electoral Education Centre, including the replacement of outdated touch screen technology.
The upgrades would “greatly improve the quality of group learning experiences”, finance minister Mathias Cormann said on Tuesday.
The new permanent exhibition will be located within the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, and will aim to educate visitors about Australia’s democratic history and electoral system.
The AEC will manage the design, curation and installation of the exhibition as well as the work to the education centre.
Prime minister and cabinet assistant minister Ben Morton said the new exhibition would improve citizens’ knowledge of the electoral system, allowing them to “feel more empowered to play a role in it“.
“I am consistently impressed by the education program delivered by the AEC at their education centre, which generates both understanding of and enthusiasm for citizens’ roles in democracy through the electoral process,” he said.
“I look forward to Old Parliament House visitors gaining a greater understanding of our nation’s democratic history and leaving inspired and excited about their agency in Australia’s political system and how they can play a more active part in it. Australia’s voting system has led the world and is a story that should be told further.”
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