Media Release 2005: Enrolment quotas set for boundary redistributions in Queensland and New South Wales

5 December 2005

Electoral Commissioner Ian Campbell has announced the first step in the process of redistributing federal electoral boundaries in Queensland and New South Wales by setting enrolment quotas for both States.

Mr Campbell and other members of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) met on 2 December 2005 to officially direct the commencement of redistribution processes to redraw divisional boundaries in the two States.

"I have calculated the enrolment quota for Queensland as 85 220 and the enrolment quota for New South Wales as 87 931," Mr Campbell said.

"Redistribution committees in Queensland and New South Wales will soon be formed to begin the task of creating electoral boundaries each containing a similar number of electors in their States.

"The committees will undertake an extensive process of consultation and provide opportunities for individuals and organisations to make suggestions and comments on matters affecting the drawing of federal electoral boundaries and the naming of divisions."

Advertisements will be placed by the AEC in the New Year in Queensland and New South Wales newspapers to invite suggestions and comments.

The enrolment quota was determined by dividing the number of electors enrolled in each State as at 2 December 2005 by the number of House of Representative seats that the State will be entitled to at the next federal election.

The redistributions were triggered following the 17 November 2005 determination by Mr Campbell 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 Campbell said that based on population changes, it was determined that Queensland would gain one seat and so would be entitled to 29 House of Representatives seats at the next federal election.

"At the same time it was determined that New South Wales would lose a seat, reducing their entitlement to 49 in the House of Representatives at the next federal election," he said.

The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 requires the redistribution committee for each State to comprise the Electoral Commissioner, the Australian Electoral Officer for the State, as well as the (Queensland or NSW) Surveyor-General and Auditor-General.

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.

Redistribution processes usually take a number of months, and new boundaries for Queensland and New South Wales are not expected to be finalised until late 2006.

The enrolment figures that were used to determine the quota are available on the website:
QLD figures are available at: http://www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/Past_Redistributions/2005/Queensland/enrol_stats.htm
NSW figures are available at: http://www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/Past_Redistributions/2005/NSW/enrol_stats.htm

Detailed information on redistributions is available on the AEC website at http://www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/Past_Redistributions/index.htm.

Media contact:

Brien Hallett
Assistant Commissioner
Australian Electoral Commission
Ph: (02) 6271 4477
Mob: 0413 274 798

Phil Diak
Director Media and Communication
Australian Electoral Commission
Ph. (02) 6271 4415
Mob: 0413 452 539