The federal government has directed the Australian Bureau of Statistics not to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in the same-sex marriage ballot.
A number of legal experts have speculated 16 and 17-year-olds could take part in the survey because they are able to "provisionally" enrol to vote, despite being unable to cast their first vote in an election until they turn 18.
It was suggested that because they were effectively on the roll, they could be on list of names and addresses to be used by the ABS for the gay marriage postal survey, due to kick off in mid-September.
Acting Special Minister of State Mathias Cormann has now directed the ABS "for the avoidance of any doubt" to ensure those taking part in the survey must be not only enrolled on the electoral roll but be eligible to participate in a federal election by the end of August 24.
"I have issued a further direction to the Australian Statistician to make that intention absolutely clear," Senator Cormann said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Australian Electoral Commission had previously confirmed it would only hand over to the ABS details of electors who are enrolled, not provisionally enrolled, he said.
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