A SEARCH for the mystery Bega electorate candidate in Saturday's state’s election has been unsuccessful to this point.
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As reported by the Bega District News last week, Clyde Robert Archard of the No Land Tax party is yet to respond to any of our queries – via email and phone to a general party inquiries contact.
Even his party president, Peter Jones, did not have Mr Archard’s direct contact details when approached last week.
Mr Jones disputed last week’s story when we called on Thursday, but hung up when asked for further clarification.
Mr Archard has a registered home address in Vincentia, but no-one with that name can be found in public phone listings.
The story of the missing-in-action Mr Archard was picked up by national media this week, with 2GB Radio’s Ray Hadley relaying the BDN article and other reported concerns about the No Land Tax party in depth during his morning show on Thursday.
Despite the coverage, still no-one has come forward to claim ownership of the name that sits in the coveted number one spot on Saturday’s Bega electorate Lower House ballot paper.
A spokesperson for the NSW Electoral Commission confirmed this week that to approve potential candidates, all the body is required to do is check they exist on an electoral roll in the state.
However, it is not the role of the NSWEC to investigate further should that person be alleged as non-existent or fraudulent.
That task rests with the Court of Disputed Returns, with any elector or candidate able to lodge a petition, according to the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 2012.
The powers of the Court of Disputed Returns include punishment for anyone found in contempt of its authority; to declare any person elected as not duly elected; to declare any candidate as duly elected even if they weren’t; or a declaration the election is void.
In Bega, that may not come to pass unless Mr Archard garners enough votes to affect the overall result.
The Bega electorate, which runs from Batemans Bay in the north to the Victorian border, and now includes Bemboka to the west after a boundary shift, has five candidates running for the NSW Lower House.
In order as they appear on the ballot paper for Saturday’s election, they are Mr Archard, Margaret Perger of The Greens, Labor’s Leanne Atkinson, Christian Democratic Party’s Ursula Bennett and Liberal Andrew Constance.