It's $20. The penalty notice comes with a reply-paid envelope and a spot on a form to explain if you have "a valid and sufficient reason for not voting".

It also says that a failure to pay the $20 penalty, or respond with a valid reason, could result in a fine of up to $313 plus court costs and a criminal conviction. Conveniently, it also has a place for me to list my name as a "person acting on elector's behalf".

[–] PetulantBandicoot@aussie.zone 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Congratulations for not living in Australia, have a fine and criminal conviction as your prize 🙄

I don't know the ins and outs, but surely the AEC can check with immigration whether I voter is in the country or not?

[–] Zagorath@aussie.zone 2 points 10 months ago

It's not really an issue. I'll reply to the letter stating she's out of the country and I'm basically 100% certain they'll drop it. Probably without even bothering to cross-reference whether I'm telling the truth.

surely the AEC can check with immigration whether I voter is in the country or not

Maybe, but I don't they could do that, even if they wanted to. And I very much doubt they would bother with that level of effort.

Government departments infamously don't often talk to each other, sometimes because of privacy regulations, other times just because they function as separate organisations and that institutional practice just isn't there.