A former Australian Electoral Commissioner with an extensive background including time in the military and working with federal law enforcement has been appointed to lead a sweeping independent review into the management and oversight of the 2026 State Election.
Tom Rogers AO will examine, report on and, if appropriate, provide recommendations regarding the adequacy of preparations and conduct of the State Election as well as the First Nations Voice election held on the same day.
Mr Rogers spent a decade as Australian Electoral Commissioner between 2014 and 2024 where he oversaw the delivery of the legislated redesign of Senate voting processes at the 2016 federal election and designed and scaled workforce systems of more than 100,000 staff per electoral event.
He has previously worked as Director of Programs and, later, Executive Director with the Australian Institute of Police Management. In his time in the military, he led the United Nations observer mission Observer Group Golan-Tiberias. He is currently a member of the Western Australia Election Commission Expert Advisory Committee and has received an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to public administration and electoral integrity.
The review Mr Rogers will lead will include examination of:
- preparation for the elections and the implementation of relevant legislative reforms.
- planning and execution of staffing requirements for the elections, including effective recruitment and appropriate training of staff.
- planning for, and the experience of, voters attending at pre-polling and on the day of the elections.
- consultation with Aboriginal voters about their experiences voting in the 2026 Voice election to be Aboriginal-led.
- whether there was an appropriate level of public awareness and community engagement regarding the 2026 State election and 2026 Voice election.
- adequacy of processes for the count and scrutiny of votes cast in the elections.
- adequacy of the Electoral Commission of SA payroll processes, to enable accurate and timely payment of staff.
- the adoption of the Electoral Commission of SA's information technology systems.
- assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the communication of election results, including the performance, accessibility and usability of digital platforms.
- Assessment of the processes and decision-making frameworks for receiving, assessing and determining complaint outcomes, including those relating to misleading advertising or statements, with a focus on the timeliness and consistency of determinations, including whether complaints were appropriately considered and acted upon.
- any other matters as deemed appropriate by the independent reviewer.
The final report will be tabled in both Houses of Parliament.
As put by Peter Malinauskas
Confidence in the democratic process is of the utmost importance and that's why we have established this independent review.
We know there have been issues with this election and we need to get to the bottom of how these occurred to help strengthen the management of elections held in South Australia in future.
This independent review will be led by the highly experienced and esteemed Tom Rogers AO.
Tom Rogers spent a decade running elections around the nation and has experience in law enforcement and the military, making him perfectly equipped to conduct this review and make any recommendations he deems appropriate.
He understands the work needed to manage elections and has the experience dealing with large, logistically complex exercises to rigorously assess the management and oversight of the election.
As put by Kyam Maher
We are fortunate to live in a country where free and fair elections are at the heart of our democracy.
Given the concerns that have been raised about the management of this year's elections, a comprehensive review – undertaken at arm's length from any political party – is essential to ensure people have trust in both the people and institutions responsible for safeguarding that democracy.
The comprehensive terms of reference will help deliver a fair, unbiased assessment of the Commission's work and recommendations to help enhance and strengthen their work in the leadup to the next state election.
As put by Tom Rogers AO
My experience running national elections for over a decade means I understand how vital they are for our democracy, and how important it is to get the detail right and maintain community trust.
I will conduct a careful, methodical review, and I look forward to providing recommendations to ensure future elections are delivered to the standard the public expects.
