Postal voting? Beware of parties trying to harvest your data

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(Image: An official-looking application form for a postal vote, sent out by the Liberal Party)

Postal voting is becoming increasingly popular in Australia. But there are now concerns that the major parties may be using a trick to harvest private data by fooling people into sending their application forms straight back to party headquarters.

Some postage paid envelopes given to voters to return their application forms are addressed to an official ‘Postal Vote Centre’, which is actually a party PO Box.One expert says that the practice is deceptive, but the coalition has previously refused to support a change to the law that would require the forms to be posted directly to the Australian Electoral Commission.The Wire contacted both the Labor and Liberal parties for comment, but neither party got back to us with answers to our questions in time for this broadcast.

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