A more permanent option one can skip the local MP and their ‘service’ by going direct to the Australian Electoral Commission, (AEC). Did you know it’s possible to become a ‘General Postal Voter and automatically you will be sent your voting papers every election?
It bypasses relying on the local MP who may not be from the same team next time around.
It does and I am aware of this as an option…but, many in the community don’t have internet access and rely on offers for their local member to provide and sort out postal voting for them.
Those with internet access or internet savy might criticise their MP posting application forms, but some this is the only option for their voting.
How differently it might be perceived if the pollies sent out the postal app with their ‘courtesy of…’ card and an envelope addressed to the AEC.
Same with the ‘friendly’ surveys the incumbent members were letterboxing a few months back. Just scan this QR code on your phone to HAVE YOUR SAY DIRECT TO THE MP ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO YOU!!! (and provide all your contact details for later marketing purposes at the same time.)
This is a bit unlikely because there may be 60(?) polling booths in an electorate that are in use on election day and the candidate can’t visit all of them or even if the candidate did visit all of them, he or she won’t be at each booth for very long (by definition) so you are unlikely to meet the candidate anyway in the period that it takes you to vote.
If you actually want to meet a candidate, go to one of the community forums in the run up to the election. They tend to be somewhat modestly attended so if you really actually want to talk to a candidate, you might get the opportunity. 
Or save the environment even further and do it online by default. (People who have no internet access can ring the AEC, as they presumably already can, and request a voter pack such as you describe.)
I have heard that political parties are exempt from this. However I can’t cite legislation to support that suggestion so it may come down to Aus Post policy.
Here’s what Aus Post says relating to it: Manage junk mail - Australia Post (which does agree with what I am saying)
Sadly, I did know that. The two major parties could vote together to get rid of that rort. Chance of that happening? When it snows in hell.
I think most fair-minded people would think that use of taxpayer funds should end on the day the election is called (the PM visits the GG).
I applied via the AEC, would not even consider using a local MP for this kind of thing. Can’t imagine why anyone would 
Except that you posted a link to a web page on an web forum. Just saying 
.
We are a web forum. The link included phone contact details as an option. It may also not be that obvious to us web aware that there is still a white pages directory in hard copy. Amongst other needs it also lists under Commonwealth Govt services the general 1300 number for the AEC. It’s a little old fashioned but works.
I took another short cut. Guilty. Although most might have seen passed the obvious. Apologies, I’ve provided another web link, not being one who receives a paper phone directory any more.
Thanks to @grahroll for the edit.
I have already done as you suggested, through the AEC website. My postal voting papers should be turning up very soon. Anything that turns up in my mailbox from political parties goes straight into the bin.
4 days later, mine arrived. I’ll fill it in and send it off today.
Hi folks,
Thanks for the discussion on this thread. I commend everyone for keeping the conversation civil and being respectful towards each other, not always easy around election time.
An election is a special event and in the public interest, and so we try to allow as much as possible the use of the forum for these discussions to occur. Now that we’re into the ‘blackout’ period, we’ve decided to retire this and related posts and resume our normal consumer programming. It’s been great hearing from you all, and we hope you enjoyed the discussion.
