Augmented Electoral Commission’s redistribution of federal Electoral Divisions in the Australian Capital Territory
The augmented Electoral Commission for the Australian Capital Territory has concluded its consideration of the federal redistribution of Electoral Divisions for the Australian Capital Territory. The outcomes of the redistribution outlined below do not take effect until the next general election following 8 October 2026. The reasons for the augmented Electoral Commission’s determination of the redistribution will be detailed in its report, due to be published in late 2026.
The augmented Electoral Commission was required to consider all the submissions made to it in accordance with the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Electoral Act) concerning the proposed redistribution for the Australian Capital Territory.
The augmented Electoral Commission was also required by the Electoral Act to meet the numerical requirements of section 73(4). That is:
- the number of electors in each Electoral Division shall, as far as practicable, not deviate from the projected enrolment quota of 114,842 at the projection time of 8 April 2030 by more than plus or minus 3.5 per cent. As far as practicable, the number of electors enrolled in each Electoral Division in the Australian Capital Territory at the projection time therefore had to be between 118,861 and 110,823, and
- the number of electors in each Electoral Division shall not deviate from the redistribution quota of 107,293 by more than plus or minus 10 per cent. The number of electors enrolled in each Electoral Division in the Australian Capital Territory must therefore be between 118,022 and 96,564.
Further, in relation to each Electoral Division, the augmented Electoral Commission was also required to give due consideration to:
- community of interests in the Electoral Division, including economic, social and regional interests
- means of communication and travel in the Electoral Division
- the physical features and area of the Electoral Division
- the boundaries of existing Electoral Divisions (with this factor being subordinate to the others).
Summary of proposed boundaries
The redistribution will result in boundary changes to 2 of the Australian Capital Territory’s 3 Electoral Divisions (referred to as 'electorates') below:
- Bean gains the remainder of the Woden Valley District.
- Canberra gains the Molonglo Valley District and the remainder of the Jerrabomberra District, incorporating the remainder of the suburb of Symonston, and the entire suburb of Hume.
- Fenner remains unchanged, except for a minor alignment to the boundary at the intersection of the Barton Highway and Gundaroo Drive, which involves no movement of electors.
The table below summarises the changes from the Redistribution Committee’s proposed redistribution, released in March 2026.
|
Electorate |
Modifications from the Redistribution Committee’s proposal |
|
Bean |
|
|
Canberra |
|
|
Fenner |
The augmented Electoral Commission has not adopted the Redistribution Committee’s proposed boundaries. As a result, the boundaries of Fenner will remain the same as at the commencement of the redistribution, except for a minor alignment to the boundary at the intersection of Barton Highway and Gundaroo Drive, which involves no movement of electors. |
The augmented Electoral Commission’s redistribution will result in a change of electorate for 6.61% (21,276) of electors in the Australian Capital Territory. This redistribution meets the numerical requirements of the redistribution and projected enrolment quotas for the Australian Capital Territory.
The below table summarises key data for each electorate:
|
Electorate |
Enrolment as at 12 August 2025 |
Projected enrolment at 8 April 2030 |
Approximate area |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Number |
Percentage variation from the redistribution quota |
Number |
Percentage variation from the projected enrolment quota |
||
|
Bean |
114,038 |
6.29% |
117,984 |
2.74% |
1,863 km2 |
|
Canberra |
102,570 |
-4.40% |
114,799 |
-0.04% |
363 km2 |
|
Fenner |
105,271 |
-1.88% |
111,742 |
-2.70% |
238 km2 |
Augmented Electoral Commission’s conclusions on name submissions
The augmented Electoral Commission received and considered 9 submissions that addressed the names of the Australian Capital Territory’s electorates. The augmented Electoral Commission observed that the considerations advanced in support of the alternative names put forward in submissions were not persuasive enough to justify renaming any electorate at this time. The augmented Electoral Commission concluded that the names of the Australian Capital Territory’s 3 electorates should not be changed and the names Bean, Canberra and Fenner will be retained.
Augmented Electoral Commission’s conclusions on boundary submissions
The augmented Electoral Commission received and considered 29 submissions that addressed the Redistribution Committee’s proposed boundaries of the Australian Capital Territory’s electorates. The below outlines the augmented Electoral Commission’s conclusions on the key themes presented in submissions.
Redistribution Committee’s proposal:
The Redistribution Committee proposed moving the suburbs of Crace, Kenny and Mitchell into the proposed electorate of Canberra and, subsequently moving the suburbs of Hawker, Macquarie and Weetangera into the electorate of Fenner.
Summary of public submissions on the proposed redistribution:
A total of 14 submissions addressed boundary changes between the electorates of Canberra and Fenner. These submissions maintained that the suburbs of Macquarie and Crace should remain in their respective electorates of Canberra and Fenner, to retain the core residential areas of the Gungahlin District within a single electorate while also offering more recognisable boundaries for both the suburbs of Macquarie and Crace.
Outcome:
The augmented Electoral Commission found the arguments presented in submissions addressing community of interest links to be compelling. It concluded:
- the suburbs of Hawker, Macquarie and Weetangera would be retained in the electorate of Canberra, and
- the suburbs of Crace, Kenny and Mitchell would be retained in the electorate of Fenner.
As a result, the boundaries of the electorate of Fenner will remain unchanged.
Redistribution Committee’s proposal:
The Redistribution Committee proposed moving the Molonglo Valley District to the electorate of Canberra.
Summary of public submissions on the proposed redistribution:
A total of 16 submissions addressed boundary changes to the Molonglo Valley District, with most seeking to retain all or part of the Molonglo Valley District in the electorate of Bean. Some submissions proposed moving portions of the Molonglo Valley to the electorate of Fenner. Many of these submissions cited the presence of a community of interest between the southern suburbs of the Molonglo Valley District with the northern portion of the Weston Creek District as a basis to split the Molonglo Valley District.
Outcome:
The augmented Electoral Commission was not persuaded that any of the alternatives to the Redistribution Committee’s proposal set out in submissions should be preferred to the Redistribution Committee’s proposal and concluded that the Molonglo Valley District should be included within a single electorate, as the Redistribution Committee had proposed.
Redistribution Committee’s proposal:
The Redistribution Committee proposed uniting the Woden Valley District in the electorate of Bean by transferring the suburbs of Curtin, Garran, Hughes and Lyons from the electorate of Canberra.
Summary of public submissions on the proposed redistribution:
A total of 12 submissions addressed the boundaries within the Woden Valley District, including the proposed changes to the suburbs of Curtin, Garran, Hughes and Lyons. They advocated retaining the current split of the Woden Valley District between the electorates of Bean and Canberra, with some focusing on the placement of the suburb of Phillip and the potential use of Hindmarsh Drive as a boundary.
Outcome:
The augmented Electoral Commission concluded that the Redistribution Committee's proposal should stand. The proposed alternatives were not sufficiently persuasive with respect to communities of interest in the Woden Valley District to justify departure from the Committee’s proposal and did not outline compelling benefits for not making the change.
Redistribution Committee’s proposal:
The Redistribution Committee proposed moving the part of the suburb of Duffy located north of Warragamba Avenue, also known as the Stromlo Forestry Settlement, to the electorate of Canberra.
Summary of public submissions on the proposed redistribution:
A total of 13 submissions addressed boundary changes to the suburb of Duffy, arguing that the suburb of Duffy should remain wholly within the electorate of Bean because the Stromlo Forestry Settlement had stronger ties to the rest of Duffy and the Weston Creek District than the Molonglo Valley District.
Outcome:
The augmented Electoral Commission concluded that the suburb of Duffy should be kept united in a single electorate and that the Redistribution Committee’s proposal would be improved by retaining the entire suburb of Duffy in the electorate of Bean.
Redistribution Committee’s proposed redistribution:
The Redistribution Committee had not proposed boundary changes for this area.
Summary of public submissions on the proposed redistribution:
There were two submissions which addressed the suburb of Symonston, arguing that the electorate of Canberra should gain the remainder of the Jerrabomberra District. Principally, they noted most electors living in the portion of the Jerrabomberra District located within the electorate of Bean, are in the currently split suburb of Symonston. Submissions argued that the suburb of Symonston is geographically closer to the Canberra Central District (in the electorate of Canberra) and has stronger transport links to the north than to the rest of the electorate of Bean to the south.
Outcome:
The augmented Electoral Commission found the submissions addressing the suburb of Symonston to be convincing and concluded the Redistribution Committee’s proposal would be improved by placing the remainder of the Jerrabomberra District, and the part of the suburb of Hume located in the Tuggeranong District (within which there were no electors) in the electorate of Canberra.
Redistribution Committee’s proposal:
The Redistribution Committee proposed moving Norfolk Island to the electorate of Canberra.
Summary of public submissions on the proposed redistribution:
A total of 13 submissions addressed Norfolk Island. Some supported the Committee’s proposal, being in general agreement with the Redistribution Committee’s assessment of Canberra Airport as a transport link from Norfolk Island to the electorate of Canberra. Other submissions argued Norfolk Island should remain in the electorate of Bean, principally because Norfolk Island would better align with the electorate that already contains the more rural/remote part of the Australian Capital Territory, being the very southern parts of Bean, and the contrary argument focussing on the transport link with the airport was less convincing.
Outcome:
The augmented Electoral Commission was not persuaded by the Redistribution Committee’s proposal having regard to other adjustments to the boundaries that it would make and concluded that Norfolk Island should be retained in the electorate of Bean.
Next steps
The augmented Electoral Commission did not consider the outcome of its announced redistribution to be significantly different from the proposal made by the Redistribution Committee. Accordingly, it held that no further public submissions would be sought. The Australian Capital Territory’s new names and boundaries will be formally determined on Thursday 8 October 2026, when a notice of determination is published in the Commonwealth Government Notices Gazette. While Members of the House of Representatives will continue to represent their current electorate, any federal election for which a writ is issued after 8 October 2026 will be conducted using the new boundaries.
Maps will be available on the AEC website on 8 October 2026. The AEC will publish the augmented Electoral Commission's report containing the reasons for its determination after that report is tabled in the Australian Parliament.