Electoral Newsfile 90: 1999 Redistribution of Federal Electoral Boundaries
Final Boundaries for South Australia
On 10 February 1999, the Electoral Commission directed that a redistribution of electoral boundaries commence in South Australia. The redistribution was triggered as seven years had elapsed since South Australia was last redistributed. Further details of the 1999 redistribution process for South Australia are in Electoral Newsfile numbers 80 and 81.
Conclusion of redistribution process
The new federal electoral boundaries for the 12 Divisions in South Australia have been finalised by the augmented Electoral Commission for South Australia.
The determination of the augmented Commission is that the boundaries of the electoral Divisions in South Australia, and the names of those Divisions, shall be as proposed by the Redistribution Committee for South Australia in their report published on 21 May 1999. Electoral Newsfile number 81 (May 1999) outlined the proposals of the Redistribution Committee for South Australia.
The augmented Commission considered four objections and one comment on the objections to the proposals. The augmented Commission determined that the matters raised in the objections were substantially the same as those already raised in the suggestions and comments lodged with the Redistribution Committee, so decided not to hold a further public inquiry into the objections.
On 12 July 1999 the augmented Commission announced its determination that it had adopted, without change, the Proposal of the Redistribution Committee for South Australia. As the augmented Commission's Proposal did not differ from that of the Redistribution Committee the redistribution process was concluded without the need for inviting further objections.
Names of Divisions
The augmented Electoral Commission confirmed the Redistribution Committee's assessment that the proposed Divisions can be readily identified with the existing 12 Divisions and determined to retain the names of the existing Divisions.
Previous redistributions in South Australia
South Australia was last redistributed in 1992 as a result of a reduction in its entitlement to Members in the House of Representatives. At that time the State was reduced from 13 Divisions to 12.
What is a redistribution?
A redistribution is a redrawing of electoral boundaries to ensure that, as nearly as practicable, there are the same number of electors in each Division for a given State or Territory.
Summary of Movement of Electors Between Divisions
| Electors in South Australia at 10 February 1999 | 1 024 632 | |
| Electors remaining in their current Division | 983 379 | 95.97% |
| Electors transferred to another Division | 41 253 | 4.03% |
Steps in the South Australian Redistribution Process
| 10 February 1999 | Redistribution directed and quota struck The Electoral Commission directed that a redistribution commence in South Australia. The Electoral Commissioner determined the quota of electors in each Division in South Australia to be 85 386. |
| 15 February 1999 | Redistribution Committee for South Australia appointed |
| 17 February 1999 | Public suggestions and comments invited |
| 19 March 1999 | Period for suggestions closed The Redistribution Committee received 10 suggestions for the redistribution. |
| 6 April 1999 | Period for comments on suggestions closed Eleven comments were received on the suggestions. |
| 21 May 1999 | Redistribution Committee for South Australia issued its proposed redistribution and invited objections to the proposal Notice of the proposed redistribution was published in the Gazette. Detailed maps, statistical tables and the Committee's rationale for the proposal were published in The Australian and The Advertiser. |
| 18 June 1999 | Period for objections to the proposal closed Four objections were lodged. |
| 2 July 1999 | Period for comments on objections closed One comment on the objections was received. |
| 12 July 1999 | Augmented Electoral Commission issued public notice of its decisions |
| 13 August 1999 | Redistribution determined The augmented Electoral Commission's determination published in the Gazette and final report released. |
| 1 September 1999 | Report of the augmented Electoral Commission tabled in Parliament |
Augmented Electoral Commission for South Australia
| Chairman of the Australian Electoral Commission | Hon Trevor Morling QC |
| Electoral Commissioner | Bill Gray AM |
| Non-judicial member of the Australian Electoral Commission | Bill McLennan AM |
| Australian Electoral Officer for South Australia | Geoff Halsey |
| Surveyor-General for South Australia | Peter Kentish |
| Auditor-General of South Australia | Ken MacPherson |
Determination of Quota at 10 February 1999
| Number of Divisions into which South Australia is to be distributed | 12 |
| Number of electors enrolled in South Australia | 1 024 632 |
| Quota for South Australia | 85 386 |
| Maximum number of electors (+10%) in a Division | 93 924 |
| Minimum number of electors (-10%) in a Division | 76 848 |
Three and a half years after the redistribution, the number of people enrolled in each Division should be within plus or minus 3.5% of the projected average enrolment.
Statistical summary of the redistribution
| 10 February 1999 | 30 June 2001 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | No. of electors | Variation from Quota % | Projected number of electors | Variation from average Divisional enrolment % | Area (sq.kms) |
| Adelaide | 86305 | 1.08 | 87661 | 0.48 | 70.82 |
| Barker | 85418 | 0.04 | 87728 | 0.56 | 52005.74 |
| Bonython | 83225 | -2.53 | 88761 | 1.74 | 268.65 |
| Boothby | 88871 | 4.08 | 88832 | 1.82 | 119.21 |
| Grey | 87590 | 2.58 | 87834 | 0.68 | 897822.42 |
| Hindmarsh | 84542 | -0.99 | 85054 | -2.51 | 62.80 |
| Kingston | 82566 | -3.30 | 85353 | -2.16 | 170.01 |
| Makin | 86835 | 1.70 | 89689 | 2.81 | 109.78 |
| Mayo | 82827 | -3.00 | 85610 | -1.87 | 2035.37 |
| Port Adelaide | 86425 | 1.22 | 86294 | -1.08 | 234.10 |
| Sturt | 84949 | -0.51 | 86106 | -1.30 | 66.31 |
| Wakefield | 85079 | -0.36 | 87953 | 0.82 | 31123.42 |
| Total | 1024632 | 1046875 | 984088.63 | ||
Australian Electoral Commission Contacts
Central Office
Electoral Commissioner (02) 6271 4400
Andy Becker
Deputy Electoral Commissioner (02) 6271 4410
Mark Cunliffe (acting)
Director, Information
Anthea Wilson (acting) (02) 6271 4415
Assistant Directors, Information
Bernadette O'Meara (02) 6271 4548
Silvana Puizina (02) 6271 4431
Editor, Newsfile
Margaret Meneghel (02) 6271 4505
Redistribution Secretariat
Wayne Seymour (02) 6271 4688
State/Territory Offices
The administration of federal elections and referendums are under the control of the Australian Electoral Officer (AEO) for that State or Territory.
AEOs may be contacted on the following numbers.
New South Wales
Frances Howat
Ph. (02) 9375 6333
Fx. (02) 9281 9384
Victoria
David Muffet
Ph. (03) 9285 7171
Fx. (03) 9285 7178
Queensland
Bob Longland
Ph. (07) 3834 3400
Fx. (07) 3831 7223
Western Australia
Andrew Moyes
Ph. (08) 9470 7299
Fx. (08) 9472 3551
South Australia
Geoff Halsey
Ph. (08) 8237 6555
Fx. (08) 8231 2664
Tasmania
Alex Stanelos (acting)
Ph. (03) 6235 0500
Fx. (03) 6234 4268
Northern Territory
Paul Anderson (acting)
Ph. (08) 8981 1477
Fx. (08) 8981 7964
NATIONAL ENQUIRY SERVICE 13 23 26
Further Information
The AEC produces a range of information materials for political parties, journalists and other people interested in the electoral process. These are available from all AEC offices and the AEC internet website.
AEC news