Media Release 2004: Backgrounder - Redistributions
What is a redistribution?
A redistribution is a redrawing of electoral boundaries.
For the House of Representatives, each State and Territory is divided into electoral divisions. The number of divisions is determined by the population. To ensure equal representation, the boundaries of these divisions have to be redrawn or redistributed periodically.
In deciding where the boundaries should be drawn, many factors are taken into consideration such as community of interest, means of communication and travel, physical features and area and both current and projected enrolment.
What causes a redistribution?
There are three triggers as defined in the Commonwealth Electoral Act (Section 59) that can cause a redistribution to be held. A redistribution is necessary when:
- the number of parliamentary representatives to which a State or Territory is entitled has changed;
- the number of electors in more than one third of the divisions in a State or one of the divisions in the ACT deviates from the average divisional enrolment by over 10% in three consecutive months; and
- a period of seven years has elapsed since the previous redistribution.
The redistribution process
After the formal announcement of the redistribution, the enrolment quota must be struck. The Electoral Commissioner determines the quota by dividing the number of electors enrolled in the State or Territory, by the number of Members of the House of Representatives to be elected in the State or Territory at a general election.
The Electoral Commission appoints a Redistribution Committee for the State or Territory and a timetable for the redistribution process is developed.
After the redistribution commences, the Electoral Commissioner invites public suggestions, in writing, regarding the redistribution. These suggestions are made available for public inspection. Before the Redistribution Committee makes its proposal, the public are again invited to lodge written comments on the suggestions that have been received.
Having considered the public suggestions and comments, the Redistribution Committee makes a proposed redistribution. Maps showing proposed boundaries and names of divisions are published and exhibited at AEC offices and on the AEC website www.aec.gov.au.
Following the publication of the initial proposed redistribution, there is a period of 28 days in which objections to the proposed redistribution may be lodged. There is a subsequent period of 14 days in which interested people and organisations may comment on the objections.
The augmented Electoral Commission considers objections to the proposed redistribution for the State or Territory. The augmented Electoral Commission has 60 days after the closing date for receipt of comments on initial objections to consider those objections. The augmented Electoral Commission then makes its own proposed redistribution.
If the augmented Electoral Commission's proposed redistribution is significantly different from the proposal made by the Redistribution Committee, the augmented Electoral Commission may invite further objections.
Having considered any further objections, the augmented Electoral Commission will make a final determination of boundaries and names of the electoral divisions in the particular State or Territory.
What does the Redistributions Committee consider?
In developing its proposal, a Redistribution Committee must take into consideration:
- community of interests, including economic, social and regional interest;
- means of communication and travel;
- physical features and area;
- boundaries of existing Divisions; and
- enrolment (both current enrolment and 'projected' enrolment three and a half years after the redistribution).
What is the three and a half year rule?
Boundaries are drawn with the aim that three and a half years after the redistribution, the enrolment in each electoral Division should not vary from the State or Territory average by more than three and a half per cent.
Enrolment quotas
There are two enrolment quotas calculated during the redistribution process:
- the current quota or average divisional enrolment; and
- the projected quota or average divisional enrolment in three and a half years' time, or such other time as determined by the Australian Electoral Commission.
In each case, the quota is calculated by dividing the number of people enrolled by the number of House of Representative members to which the State or Territory is entitled.
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