Information about the Tasmanian federal redistribution

The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Electoral Act) outlines the redistribution processes.

Why is Tasmania undergoing a redistribution?

Tasmania will undergo a redistribution as more than seven years have elapsed since the last redistribution was determined.

For a state, the Electoral Act specifies that a redistribution process should be undertaken in the following circumstances:

  • the number of members of the House of Representatives to which a state is entitled has changed, or
  • the number of electors in more than one-third of the electorates in a state deviates from the average enrolment across electorates in the state by over 10 per cent for a period of more than two months, or
  • a period of seven years has elapsed since the last redistribution process was determined.

How many federal electorates will there be after the redistribution?

In accordance with the 2023 determination of entitlement to members of the House of Representatives, Tasmania remains entitled to five federal electorates.

Will the boundaries of the current federal electorates change?

Federal electorates are required to fall within two numerical ranges:

  • the number of electors enrolled in each federal electorate on the determination date must be between minus 10 per cent and plus 10 per cent of the redistribution quota
  • as far as practicable, the projected number of electors enrolled in each federal electorate at the projection time would be between minus 3.5 per cent and plus 3.5 per cent of the projected enrolment quota.

On the boundaries in place on 12 August 2025, three of Tasmania’s five federal electorates did not meet the requirement to be within these two numerical ranges.

Electorate

Enrolment as at 12 August 2025

Projected enrolment at 8 April 2030

Is the numerical requirement met?

Enrolment

Percentage variation from the redistribution quota

Projected enrolment

Percentage variation from the projected enrolment quota

Bass

80,560

-2.51%

80,818

-4.42%

No

Braddon

84,612

2.39%

86,021

1.73%

Yes

Clark

74,449

-9.91%

75,689

-10.49%

No

Franklin

83,956

1.60%

87,262

3.20%

Yes

Lyons

89,599

8.43%

92,995

9.98%

No

Further information on the numerical ranges can be found here: Redistribution and projected enrolment quotas.

What is the result of requirement not being met?

As it is a legislative requirement to be within both of the specified ranges is not met by all five of Tasmania's federal electorates, the boundaries of these electorates will need to change. Changes may also be made to those electorates which meet the requirement as a consequence of changes to the boundaries of those electorates which do not meet the requirement.

Will the names of the current federal electorates change?

The names of the current federal electorates may or may not change.

Individuals and organisations can propose alternative names for federal electorates at two stages of the redistribution process:

  • Initial ideas and feedback
  • Ideas and feedback on the proposed redistribution report

The Redistribution Committee for Tasmania will consider all input received. The Redistribution Committee for Tasmania will indicate in its proposed redistribution whether it has or has not proposed changing the name of a federal electorate, together with reasons for the proposal.

Individuals and organisations can then provide feedback to the Redistribution Committee on Tasmania’s proposed names. Feedback may agree or disagree with the Redistribution Committee’s proposal. Input received advocating a change of name for a federal electorate will be also be considered by the augmented Electoral Commission for Tasmania. The augmented Electoral Commission for Tasmania is ultimately responsible for determining the names of the federal electorates in Tasmania.

Information about the names of current federal electorates in Tasmania

How do current electorate names meet the guidelines for naming electorates?

The Guidelines for naming federal electorates were developed by the AEC from recommendations made by the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters in 1995 in its Report on the Effectiveness and Appropriateness of the Redistribution Provisions of Parts III and IV of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. These guidelines are non-binding but may be referred to by the Redistribution Committee for Tasmania or the augmented Electoral Commission for Tasmania to assist with decision-making processes.

The extent to which the names of Tasmania’s current federal electorates meet these guidelines is displayed below.  The electorates are sortable by clicking on the header row.

Electorate Is the electorate named for a prominent person? Is the electorate named for an Australian Prime Minister? Is the electorate name that of an original Federation electorate? Is the electorate named for a geographical feature? Is the electorate named for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person or word?

Bass

Yes

No

No

No

No

Braddon

Yes

No

No

No

No

Clark

Yes

No

No

No

No

Franklin

Yes

No

No

No

No

Lyons

Yes

Yes (see note below)

No

No

No

Does Tasmania have federation electorates?

'Federation electorates' have been interpreted in two ways.

One interpretation is that federation electorates are those which were in place for the first federal election held in 1901. However, for the first federal elections in 1901, Tasmania was not divided into electorates. At the 1901 elections, Tasmania voted as one electorate and members of the House of Representatives were elected for Tasmania. On this interpretation, 'Tasmania' would be the federation electorate.

Tasmania was divided into five electorates prior to the second federal election in 1903, including the Electorates of Bass, Denison and Franklin. The second interpretation is that because these electorates were defined and named before the second federal election, they are original federation electorates in Tasmania and it would be against the spirit of the guidelines to change these names without very strong reasons.

Origins of name

The Electorate of Bass is named for Dr George Bass (1771–1803). Bass was a surgeon, scientist and explorer and one of those responsible for the early geographical investigation of the Australian coast. Bass’ explorations included the islands in Bass Strait, the Tamar estuary, the Derwent estuary and Mount Wellington.

Creation of electorate

The electorate was created on 2 October 1903 and was first represented in 1903.

More information

Biographical information about Dr George Bass from the Australian Dictionary of Biography

Origins of name

The Electorate of Braddon is named for Sir Edward Nicholas Coventry Braddon KCMG (1829–1904), who was an active member of the Constitutional Conventions that led to the Commonwealth of Australia. Between 1901 and 1904 Sir Edward Braddon was elected as one of the first members of the House of Representatives as a Member for Tasmania and later for the Electorate of Wilmot. Prior to this, Sir Edward Braddon served as Agent-General for Tasmania and was a Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly and Premier of Tasmania.

Creation of electorate

The electorate was created on 30 August 1955 and was first represented in 1955.

More information

Biographical information about Sir Edward Braddon from the Australian Dictionary of Biography and the Companion to Tasmanian History

Origins of name

The Electorate of Clark is named for Andrew Inglis Clark (1848–1907), in recognition of his contributions to the political and legal systems which have had a lasting and perpetual impact on Australia through his involvement with Federation and the development of the Australian Constitution.

Creation of electorate

The electorate was created on 14 November 2017 and was first represented in 2019.

More information

Biographical information about Andrew Inglis Clark from the Australian Dictionary of Biography and the Companion to Tasmanian History

Origins of name

The Electorate of Franklin takes its name from Sir John Franklin (1786–1847), Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen’s Land (1837–43), in recognition of his service to the colony.

Creation of electorate

The electorate was created on 2 October 1903 and was first represented in 1903.

More information

Biographical information about Sir John Franklin from the Australian Dictionary of Biography and the Companion to Tasmanian History

Origins of name

The Electorate of Lyons is jointly named:

  • the Rt Hon Joseph Lyons CH (1879–1939), Prime Minister of Australia (1932–39) and a Member of the House of Representatives (1929–39), and
  • Dame Enid Muriel Lyons DGBE(C) AD (1897–1981), first woman member of the House of Representatives (1943-51) and first woman of a federal Cabinet as Vice-President of the Executive Council (1949–51).

Creation of electorate

The electorate was created on 12 September 1984 and was first represented in 1984.

More information

Biographical information about Joseph Lyons from the Australian Dictionary of Biography and the Companion to Tasmanian History
Biographical information about Dame Enid Lyons from the Australian Dictionary of Biography and the Companion to Tasmanian History
Lyons is one of the 10 federal electorates named to jointly acknowledge more than one person.

When will the redistribution come into effect?

Changes to federal electorates as a result of this redistribution will apply from the day on which a notice of determination is published in the Commonwealth Notices Government Gazette. This notice will be published on Thursday 8 October 2026.

Electoral events will not be contested on these new federal electorates until a writ is issued for a general election following the expiry or dissolution of the House of Representatives.

Updated: 8 October 2025