Electoral Newsfile 91: 1999 Redistribution of Federal Electoral Boundaries - Final Boundaries for Tasmania
On 14 April 1999, the Electoral Commission directed that a redistribution of electoral boundaries commence in Tasmania. The redistribution was triggered as seven years had elapsed since Tasmania was last redistributed. Further details of the 1999 redistribution process for Tasmania are in Electoral Newsfile numbers 80 and 83.
Conclusion of redistribution process
The new federal electoral boundaries for the five Divisions in Tasmania have been finalised by the augmented Electoral Commission for Tasmania.
On 14 April 1999, the Electoral Commission directed that a redistribution of electoral Divisions commence in Tasmania. Electoral Newsfile number 83 (August 1999) outlined the proposals of the Redistribution Committee for Tasmania.
The augmented Electoral Commission for Tasmania considered four objections to the proposal which they determined were matters that had not been presented in the suggestions and comments previously lodged with the Redistribution Committee. Therefore, the augmented Commission decided it was necessary to hold a public inquiry into the objections.
Change to the Redistribution Committee's proposal
The augmented Commission announced its determination on 22 November 1999. It substantially adopted the Proposal of the Redistribution Committee for Tasmania, except for the following change:
Division of Bass
A small area of the Dorset Local Government Area (LGA), in which 23 electors reside, was moved from the Division of Lyons to join the remaining portion of the LGA in the Bass electorate.
The augmented Commission resolved that as the agreed change to the proposal was not significant the redistribution process was concluded without the need for further objections or hearings.
Names of Divisions
The augmented Electoral Commission confirmed the Redistribution Committee's assessment that the proposed Divisions can be readily identified with the existing five Divisions and determined to retain the names of the existing Divisions.
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.
At the beginning of the process, the Electoral Commissioner determines the `quota', or the average number of electors for each Division. The number of people enrolled in each electoral Division may not vary by more or less than 10% of the quota.
Summary of Movement of Electors Between Divisions
| Electors in Tasmania at 14 April 1999 | 326,396 | |
| Electors remaining in their current Division | 320,706 | 98.26% |
| Electors transferred to another Division | 5,690 | 1.74% |
Determination of Quota at 14 April 1999
| Number of Divisions into which Tasmania is to be distributed | 5 |
| Number of electors enrolled in Tasmania | 326,396 |
| Quota for Tasmania | 65,279 |
| Maximum number of electors (+10%) in a Division | 71,806 |
| Minimum number of electors (-10%) in a Division | 58,752 |
At the midpoint of the expected life of the redistribution, the number of people enrolled in each Division should be within plus or minus 3.5% of the projected average enrolment.
Enrolment Projections for 30 June 2003
| Number of Divisions into which Tasmania is to be distributed | 5 |
| Projected number of electors in Tasmania | 337,034 |
| Projected average enrolment for Tasmania | 67,407 |
| Projected average enrolment plus 3.5% | 69,766 |
| Projected average enrolment minus 3.5% | 65,048 |
Statistical Summary of the Redistribution
| 14 April 1999 | 30 June 2003 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | No. of electors | Variation from Quota % | Projected number of electors | Variation from average Divisional enrolment % | Area (sq.kms) |
| Bass | 65008 | -0.42 | 66783 | -0.93 | 7343 |
| Braddon | 67360 | 3.19 | 68640 | 1.83 | 11760 |
| Denison | 66267 | 1.51 | 67936 | 0.78 | 221 |
| Franklin | 65285 | 0.01 | 68084 | 1.00 | 7933 |
| Lyons | 62476 | -4.29 | 65591 | -2.69 | 40604 |
| Total | 326396 | 337034 | 67861 | ||
Steps in the Tasmanian Redistribution Process
| 14 April 1999 | Redistribution directed and quota struck The Electoral Commission directed that a redistribution commence in Tasmania. The Electoral Commissioner determined the quota of electors in each Division in Tasmania to be 65 279. |
| 15 April 1999 | Redistribution Committee for Tasmania appointed |
| 28 April 1999 | Public suggestions and comments invited |
| 28 May 1999 | Period for suggestions closed The Redistribution Committee received seven suggestions for the redistribution. |
| 11 June 1999 | Period for comments on suggestions closed One comment was received on the suggestions. |
| 20 August 1999 | Redistribution Committee for Tasmania 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 rationale for the proposal were published in The Mercury, The Examiner and The Advocate. |
| 17 September 1999 | Period for objections to the proposal closed Four objections were lodged. |
| 1 October 1999 | Period for comments on objections closed No comments on the objections were received. |
| 22 November 1999 | Augmented Electoral Commission issued public notice of its decisions |
| 11 February 2000 | Redistribution determined The augmented Electoral Commission's determination published in the Gazette and final report released. |
14 March 2000 |
Report of the augmented Electoral Commission tabled in Parliament |
Augumented Electoral Commission for Tasmania
| Chairman of the Australian Electoral Commission | Hon Trevor Morling QC |
| Electoral Commissioner | Andy Becker |
| Non-judicial member of the Australian Electoral Commission | Bill McLennan AM |
| Australian Electoral Officer for Tasmania | Alex Stanelos |
| Surveyor-General of Tasmania | Christopher Rowe |
| Auditor-General of Tasmania | Dr Arthur McHugh |
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 SecretariatWayne 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
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 web site.
