Proposed redistribution Tasmania into electoral divisions

Updated: 5 May 2017

Chapter 3 What's next?

This chapter outlines the legislative requirements following the release of the proposed redistribution, through to the final determination of the names and boundaries of electoral divisions in Tasmania.

  1. This report sets out the Redistribution Committee’s proposed names and boundaries of electoral divisions for Tasmania, together with the Redistribution Committee’s reasons for this proposed redistribution. Interested individuals and organisations are able to consider this proposal and provide their thoughts prior to the final determination of electoral division boundaries and names by the augmented Electoral Commission on Tuesday 14 November 2017.
  2. Appendix I sets out the timetable for the remainder of this redistribution.

    Invitation for objections

  3. Written objections to any aspect of the proposed redistribution must be lodged with the Electoral Commission by 6pm (AEST) on Friday 2 June 2017.63 Any objections received after this time will not be able to be considered.

    What can objections be about?

  4. Objections may concern any aspect of the Redistribution Committee’s proposal and may refer to one or more proposed electoral divisions. Objections may be about:
    • the proposed names of electoral divisions,
    • the proposed boundaries of electoral divisions, or
    • the proposed names and proposed boundaries of electoral divisions.

    Invitation to provide comments on objections

  5. All objections received will be made available for public inspection from Monday 5 June 2017 on the AEC website and at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for Tasmania in Hobart.64
  6. Interested individuals and organisations can then lodge written comments on the objections with the Electoral Commission up until 6pm (AEST) on Friday 16 June 2017.65 Comments received after this time will not be able to be considered.
  7. All comments received will be made available for public inspection from Monday 19 June 2017 on the AEC website and at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for Tasmania in Hobart.66

    What can comments on objections be about?

  8. Comments on objections may concern any topic raised in objections to the Redistribution Committee’s proposal and may refer to one or more proposed electoral divisions. Comments on objections may be about:
    • one or more objections to the Redistribution Committee’s proposal,
    • the proposed names of electoral divisions,
    • the proposed boundaries of electoral divisions, or
    • the proposed names and proposed boundaries of electoral divisions.

    Who considers objections and comments on objections?

  9. Written objections and comments on objections are considered by the augmented Electoral Commission.67 The membership of the augmented Electoral Commission for Tasmania is outlined in Table I.
    Table I: Membership of the augmented Electoral Commission for Tasmania
    Position on the augmented Electoral Commission Name Basis for membership

    Chairperson

    The Hon. Dennis Cowdroy OAM QC

    Chairperson of the Electoral Commission

    Member

    Mr David Kalisch

    non-judicial member of the Electoral Commission

    Member

    Mr Tom Rogers

    Electoral Commissioner

    Member

    Mr David Molnar

    Australian Electoral Officer for Tasmania

    Member

    Mr Michael Giudici

    Surveyor General of Tasmania

    Member

    Mr Rod Whitehead

    Auditor-General of Tasmania

    Note: Shading indicates the members of the Redistribution Committee (chaired by Mr Rogers).

  10. As part of its considerations, the augmented Electoral Commission may hold an inquiry into any objection or comment on objection.68

    The second redistribution proposal

  11. At the conclusion of its considerations, the augmented Electoral Commission will announce its own proposed redistribution.69 If the augmented Electoral Commission considers that this proposal is significantly different from the Redistribution Committee’s proposal, the augmented Electoral Commission will invite further objections.70 Advice will be provided should this prove necessary.

    What factors will the augmented Electoral Commission consider when making their proposed redistribution of Tasmania?

  12. The Electoral Act requires the augmented Electoral Commission to comply with the following factors when making their proposed redistribution:
    • Tasmania is to be divided into the same number of electoral divisions as the number of members of the House of Representatives to be chosen in Tasmania at a general election71
      • As Tasmania is entitled to five members of House of Representatives, as determined by the then acting Electoral Commissioner on Thursday 13 November 2014, the augmented Electoral Commission will propose five electoral divisions for Tasmania.
    • consideration of all objections and comments on objections received by the lodgement time72
      • All written objections received by 6pm (AEST) Friday 2 June 2017 and all written comments on objections received by 6pm (AEST) Friday 16 June 2017 will be considered by the augmented Electoral Commission in the development of their proposed redistribution.
    • as far as practicable, the number of electors enrolled in each electoral division in Tasmania at the projection time would not be more than plus 3.5 per cent, or less than minus 3.5 per cent, of the projected enrolment quota73
      • As far as practicable, the number of electors enrolled in each electoral division in Tasmania at the projection time of Friday 14 May 2021 must be between 74,289 and 79,677.
    • the number of electors enrolled in each electoral division in Tasmania would not be more than plus 10 per cent, or less than minus 10 per cent, of the current enrolment quota74
      • The number of electors enrolled in each electoral division in Tasmania must be between 67,513 and 82,515.
    • in relation to each proposed electoral division, give due consideration to:75
      1. community of interests within the proposed electoral division, including economic, social and regional interests
      2. means of communication and travel within the proposed electoral division
      1. the physical features and area of the proposed electoral division, and
      2. the boundaries of existing electoral divisions in Tasmania, with this factor being subordinate to the consideration i, ii and iv.

    Final determination of boundaries and names for electoral divisions

  13. The augmented Electoral Commission will make a final determination of boundaries and names of the electoral divisions for Tasmania by notice published in the Gazette on Tuesday 14 November 2017.76
  14. Copies of the augmented Electoral Commission’s determination and reasons for that determination, together with the work of the Redistribution Committee, will be tabled in both houses of the Parliament of Australia.77 Once this has occurred, this material will be made available to the public via the AEC website.

    How to lodge an objection or comment on an objection

  15. Objections and comments on objections should be lodged via the AEC website at
    www.aec.gov.au/tas-redistribution. Objections and comments on objections can also be submitted:
    • by email to: Fedredistribution-TAS@aec.gov.au
    • in person during business hours to: The Australian Electoral Commission (Att: Redistribution Secretariat), at Ground Floor, 2 Salamanca Square, Hobart
    • by mail to: The Australian Electoral Commission (Att: Redistribution Secretariat), GPO Box 520, Hobart TAS 7001
    • by fax to: 02 6293 7660.

    Further information

  16. A wide range of information is available on the AEC’s website, including:
  1. Paragraph 68(2)(a) of the Electoral Act requires written objections to be lodged with the Electoral Commission before 6pm on the 4th Friday after publication of the notice in the Gazette inviting written objections.
  2. Sub-sections 69(2) and 69(5) of the Electoral Act require copies of the objections lodged prior to the lodgement time to be made available for perusal in the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for Tasmania on the 5th Monday after publication of the invitation in the Gazette.
  3. Paragraph 68(2)(b) of the Electoral Act requires written comments on objections to be lodged with the Electoral Commission before 6pm on the 6th Friday after publication of the invitation in the Gazette.
  4. Sub-sections 69(4) and 69(5) of the Electoral Act require copies of the objections lodged prior to the lodgement time to be made available for perusal in the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for Tasmania on the 7th Monday after publication of the invitation in the Gazette.
  5. Sub-section 70(1) of the Electoral Act requires that, for the purposes of a redistribution of Tasmania, there is established an augmented Electoral Commission for Tasmania. The membership of the augmented Electoral Commission is specified by sub-section 70(2) of the Electoral Act.
  6. Sub-section 72(3) of the Electoral Act requires the augmented Electoral Commission to hold an inquiry into an objection under certain circumstances. The manner in which inquiries into objections is to be conducted are specified in sub-sections 72(4) to 72(9) of the Electoral Act.
  7. Once its inquiries into objections are completed, sub-section 72(10) of the Electoral Act requires the augmented Electoral Commission to make a proposed redistribution of the state and make a public announcement.
  8. Sub-section 72(13) of the Electoral Act outlines the requirements for the further objections process.
  9. This is required by sub-section 73(3) of the Electoral Act.
  10. Sub-section 72(1) of the Electoral Act requires the augmented Electoral Commission to consider all objections and comments on objections.
  11. This is required by paragraph 73(4)(a) of the Electoral Act.
  12. This is required by sub-section 73(4) of the Electoral Act.
  13. These requirements are specified in paragraph 73(4)(b) and sub-section 73(4A) of the Electoral Act.
  14. In accordance with sub-section 73(1) of the Electoral Act, the names and boundaries of electoral divisions are determined when the augmented Electoral Commission publishes a notice in the Gazette.
  15. As soon as practicable after the determination of the redistribution, sub-section 75(1) of the Electoral Act requires specified information produced during the course of the redistribution to be provided to the Minister. Sub-section 75(2) of the Electoral Act requires this material to be laid before each House of the Parliament within five sitting days of that House after a copy has been provided to the Minister.