171CAdvance polling period may be shortened or extended if unforeseen or unavoidable disruption occurs before commencement of advance polling period

1. This section applies if, before the commencement of the advance polling period, there is an unforeseen or unavoidable disruption in any electoral district or districts.

2. The Chief Electoral Officer may direct that the advance polling period in the electoral district or districts be—

3. shortened to fewer than 12 consecutive days before polling day; or
4. extended to more than 12 consecutive days before polling day.

5. Before making a direction under subsection (2), the Chief Electoral Officer must—

6. consult—
   1. the Prime Minister; and
   2. the Leader of the Opposition; and
   3. any person or organisation that in the Chief Electoral Officer’s opinion is able to give information about the scale and duration of the unforeseen or unavoidable disruption; and
7. be satisfied that the direction is necessary in all of the circumstances.

8. The Chief Electoral Officer must, as soon as is reasonably practicable after making a direction under subsection (2), give public notice of the direction in any manner that the Chief Electoral Officer considers appropriate.

9. In this section and section 171E, unforeseen or unavoidable disruption has the same meaning as that given in section 195 for sections 195A, 195B, and 195D.