Media Release 2003: Enrolment quota struck in 2003 redistributions in Queensland and South Australia

14 March 2003

The Electoral Commissioner, Mr Andy Becker announced today that the first major step in the 2003 redistribution of federal electoral boundaries in Queensland and South Australia was undertaken yesterday with the striking of the enrolment quotas.

Members of the Australian Electoral Commission met on 12 March 2003 to officially direct the commencement of redistribution processes to redraw the Queensland and South Australian divisional boundaries.

"The enrolment quota for Queensland was calculated as 84 078 and the enrolment quota for South Australia was 94 834," Mr Becker said.

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

The enrolment quota is determined by dividing the number of electors enrolled in the State as at 12 March 2003 by the number of House of Representative seats that the State will be entitled to at the next federal election.

The two redistributions were triggered following the February 19 determination of the number of Federal Members of the House of Representatives that each State and Territory would be entitled to at the next federal election.

Mr Becker said that based on an increase in population, it was determined that Queensland would gain one seat and so would be entitled to 28 House of Representatives seats at the next federal election.

"At the same time it was determined that South Australia would lose a seat, resulting in a reduced entitlement of 11 seats in the House of Representatives at the next federal election," he said.

The two redistributions will be undertaken by separate redistribution committees. The committee for the Queensland redistribution will consist of the Electoral Commissioner, the Australian Electoral Officer for Queensland, the Queensland Surveyor-General and the Queensland Auditor-General.

The committee for the South Australian redistribution will consist of the Electoral Commissioner, the Australian Electoral Officer for South Australia, the South Australian Surveyor-General and the South Australian Auditor-General.

Mr Becker said that all Queenslanders and South Australians could have a say in their redistribution process as public suggestions and comments would be invited as to how the new boundaries should be drawn.

A redistribution is a redrawing of electoral boundaries to ensure that as near as practicable, each State and Territory gains representation in the House of Representatives in proportion to the State and Territory populations, and that there are a similar number of electors in each division for a given State or Territory.

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

For further information:

Brien Hallett
Assistant Commissioner,
Information, Education and Research
Ph. (02) 6271 4477

Phil Diak
Director Information
Ph. (02) 6271 4415