On 2 April 2025 WA Premier Roger Cook MLA announced that a Special Inquiry would be conducted into concerns raised by voters, candidates and Members of both the WA and Australian Parliaments about the staffing and management of polling booths for the 2025 WA State Election which was held on Saturday 8 March.
The inquiry is being conducted in accordance with section 24H of the Public Sector Management Act 1994 and has a Terms of Reference.
Special Inquirer
The Honourable Malcolm McCusker AC CVO KC has been appointed to carry out the Special Inquiry.
Mr McCusker has had a long and distinguished career in the legal profession. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1982 and served as the 31st Governor of Western Australia from 2011 to 2014. Since this time he has chaired the Ministerial Expert Panel on Voluntary Assisted Dying (2019) and the Ministerial Expert Panel on Electoral Reform (2021).
He was made Officer of the Order of Australia in 2012 for “service as a lawyer, an advocate for sustainable development and education, and philanthropy in medical research, youth and arts organisations.”
Submissions
The Special Inquirer invited submissions from members of the public which were open from 15 April to 9 May 2025.
Submissions are no longer being accepted.
Final report
A final report on the conduct of the Special Inquiry with findings and any recommendations is to be provided to the Public Sector Commissioner by 30 June 2025.
The report will include the names of people who have made submissions but not their contact details. Anonymous submissions will be accepted.
The Public Sector Commissioner is responsible for providing the report to the Premier.
Enquiries
For general enquiries email specialinquirySE@psc.wa.gov.au.
Media
Media can email enquiries to media@psc.wa.gov.au.
