Objective

As an Australian, the right to vote and the right to accessible voting options are a fundamental part of our human rights law. Our democracy and underlying Australian ethos mean that every eligible Australian should be given the same opportunity to have their voice heard, regardless of where they live or their ability to travel.

As such, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is required to offer face-to-face polling stations in all locations with 10 or more registered voters. For the 2025 federal Election, CTM was tasked with managing the logistical movements of the polling stations and the staff required to manage these throughout Australia’s most remote and regional communities.

Solutions

Proactive Supplier Sourcing

CTM’s depth of knowledge of regional areas and proactive approach to air and accommodation suppliers proved essential for securing availability in some of Australia’s most remote towns. Through strategic contracting of allotment inventory, CTM secured rooms early to guarantee availability and save costs.

Partnership

In partnership with Air Charter Services (ACS), key consideration was given to the challenges of remote landings without airport infrastructure and cultural sensitivity with the communities they were landing in. The online charter portal provided real-time quotes for simplified booking and presented data trends on key routes.

Risk Analysis

The Australian climate is not to be underestimated, and a thorough assessment of the potential weather impacts throughout the election period proved essential. CTM’s risk analysis included a matrix of low to high-risk locations based on accessibility levels in the wake of flooding, aircraft facilities, fuel availability and payload restrictions. Alternative routes or travel options were listed to overcome potential accessibility risks, such as deploying helicopters when road conditions were too dangerous to travel on.

Custom-built Booking Tool

CTM developed a bulk-booking tool to support our travel consultants in creating multiple individual bookings with non-GDS supplier content. This meant that air charters, ground transfers and non-GDS airlines & hotels could be booked and managed simultaneously, driving efficiencies and time savings for large and complex bookings. This tool also provides up-to-date booking status reporting, with dashboards on the booking status for requests and resource management data.

Dedicated Team Structure

Supporting the delivery of large-scale passenger movements, including constrained travel windows in some remote locations, required a dedicated team structure for the project. This included: a Project Manager, Team Operations Manager, and Australian-wide Operational Team to provide coverage 24/7, across all time zones and during public holidays.

Stakeholder Engagement

Being the first TMC to provide this service, CTM recognised that regular and transparent communication with the AEC was essential to ensure the project’s success. Daily briefings and status reports enabled all stakeholders to remain in-the-know with the projects’ delivery and provide timely feedback when necessary.

Outcome

• 33 days, 467 locations, 340 staff
• Remote polling was delivered and completed within 9 days
• Reached all locations despite challenges, including:
  • Weather conditions
  • Inaccessible roads
  • Safety concerns
  • Locations closed across the election period
• 90% of Indigenous & Torres Strait Islander people are now enrolled to vote, the first time in the nation’s history
• The first Travel Management Company to support delivery of remote polling services