23 January 2002

The Australian Electoral Commission officially directed the commencement of the redrawing of the Victorian divisional boundaries on 18 January 2002.

The Electoral Commissioner, Mr Andy Becker, announced that the first major step in the 2002 redistribution of federal electoral boundaries in Victoria occurred with the striking of the enrolment quota.

A redistribution is the redrawing of federal electoral boundaries to ensure that there are, as near as possible, the same number of people in each electoral division.

Mr Becker said the Victorian redistribution was necessary as seven years had elapsed since the State's last redistribution.

"To ensure equal representation, electoral legislation requires a redistribution to be held at least every seven years," Mr Becker said.

"The first major step in the redistribution process was the calculation of the new enrolment quota of 88 093 electors," Mr Becker said.

"This redistribution process will distribute the State's electors so that the number in each division does not vary from this quota by more than ten percent."

The enrolment quota was determined by dividing the number of electors enrolled in Victoria by the number of House of Representative seats in the State. Victoria is currently entitled to 37 seats and this entitlement will remain unchanged by the redistribution process.

Mr Becker said that all Victorians can have a say in this redistribution process. Public suggestions and comments will be invited regarding how the new boundaries should be drawn. It is expected that advertisements calling for public suggestions will be placed in the press in early March 2002.

Detailed information on the redistribution process is available on the AEC website at www.aec.gov.au.

For further information:

Mr Terry Rushton, Redistribution Secretariat ( Canberra ) Ph. (02) 6 271 4468

Mr John Pepper , Redistribution Secretariat ( Melbourne ) Ph. (03 ) 9 285 7134