24 July 2009

A new federal electoral division located in south-east Queensland, and named after the Australian poet and social and environmental activist Judith Wright, was announced today as part of the proposal for the state’s federal electoral redistribution.

The redistribution report, which details the proposed new boundaries for all 30 federal electoral divisions in Queensland, including the proposed new Division of Wright, has been published by the Redistribution Committee for Queensland.

The 2009 redistribution process was triggered by Queensland’s entitlement to a new federal electoral division based on population growth. 

With significant enrolment growth in the south-east corner of Queensland, the Committee has proposed creating this 30th division in this region, taking in parts of the Gold Coast and Logan City Councils and all of Lockyer and Scenic Rim Regional Councils.

The Electoral Commissioner and Chair of the Committee, Mr Ed Killesteyn, said that the Committee was required by legislation to draw new boundaries which as at 9 July 2012 ensured that the number of electors in each division did not range more than 3.5% below and above the state’s projected average enrolment of 97 232 electors. 

The Committee also took into account community of interests, communication and transport links, physical features, and current federal boundaries when making its proposal.

The Committee’s proposal to name the new division ‘Wright’ is in honour of the late Judith Wright.  Ms Wright is recognised for her significant contributions as a poet and in the areas of arts, conservation and indigenous affairs in Queensland and Australia.  Ms Wright has a strong association with the south-east Queensland area.

The full details of the Queensland Committee’s proposal, including the Committee's considerations in making the proposal, are in their report available on the AEC website at www.aec.gov.au, or from the Redistribution Secretariat.

Mr Killesteyn said that the consultative nature of the redistribution process continues with individuals and organisations now able to lodge objections about the Committee’s proposed redistribution.

Written objections must be lodged with the Australian Electoral Commission no later than 6.00pm on Friday 21 August 2009:

• in person at 7th Floor, 488 Queen St, Brisbane  Qld 4000; or
• by mail to GPO Box 2590, Brisbane Qld 4001; or
• by email to qld.redistributions@aec.gov.au; or
• by facsimile to (07) 3834 3452.

All objections received by the deadline will be available for public inspection at the AEC State Office in Brisbane and on the AEC website from Monday 24 August 2009. Comments on the objections will be accepted until 6.00pm on 4 September 2009.

Further information:

The Executive Summary, from the 2009 Proposed Redistribution of Queensland into Electoral Divisions, follows below.

The full report is available on the QLD Proposed Redistribution page.

Media contacts

Anne Bright
Australian Electoral Officer for Queensland
AEC Queensland
07 3834 3440

Phil Diak
Director, Media and Communication Strategy
Canberra
02 6271 4415
0413 452 539

Executive Summary

1. On 17 February 2009, the Electoral Commissioner made a determination on state and territory representation entitlements under section 48(1) of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (the Electoral Act). Under the determination, Queensland is entitled to 30 members of the House of Representatives, one more than its previous entitlement.
   
   
2. In considering options for the redistribution of divisional boundaries the Committee sought to ensure its proposal took into account and reflected a full and proper consideration of all of the factors brought before it in the context of the statutory requirements of the Electoral Act. These factors included actual and projected enrolment figures, and suggestions and comments. The Committee also sought, wherever possible, to unite communities of common interest and use clearly identifiable features as divisional boundaries.
   
   
3. The Committee considered projected enrolment across the state, observing the high projected growth in south-east Queensland.  Enrolment projections, depicted in Map 1 indicate that the divisions which are over the average projected enrolment are located primarily within the outer-metropolitan areas of south-east Queensland and in pockets along the eastern seaboard, whereas inner-metropolitan and country divisions are generally under the average.
   
   
4. The Committee noted that the substantial numerical differences between the highest and lowest projected enrolments for divisions had a significant impact on the development of the proposal, particularly in those high-growth areas on the fringes of Brisbane, Ipswich and the Gold Coast cities.
   
   
5. The degree and pattern of growth led the Committee to propose that the new division be located in south-east Queensland, with changes, where necessary to existing divisions in the region to facilitate the new division.
   
   
6. The Committee proposes the new division be named “Wright”. 
   
   
7. As a result of Ryan being moved wholly to the north of the Brisbane River, the redrawing of the divisions south of the Brisbane River allowed for the creation of the Division of Wright in an area south and west of Brisbane. 
   
   
8. Three divisions are proposed to be left unchanged, those being Bonner, Griffith and Groom.
   
   
9. The enrolment projections enabled the eight divisions north of the Brisbane River up to and including the Division of Fairfax to be redrawn largely within this geographical area.
   
   
10. The Committee noted that a number of boundaries outside south-east Queensland are, by necessity, required to move further into major regional centres. 

Extract from 2009 Proposed Redistribution of Queensland into Electoral Divisions