PROPOSED Redistribution of Federal Electoral DIVISIONS IN Queensland

The Redistribution Committee for Queensland (the Redistribution Committee) has made a proposed redistribution of federal electoral divisions in Queensland.

Members of the public and organisations are invited to inspect the report of the Redistribution Committee which contains:

• reasons for the proposed redistribution,
• maps showing the names and boundaries of each proposed electoral division, and
• suggestions and comments on suggestions previously lodged with the Redistribution Committee.

Members of the public and organisations are now invited to lodge written objections against the proposed redistribution.

WHY IS A REDISTRIBUTION BEING CONDUCTED?

A redistribution of federal electoral divisions in Queensland is required because more than seven years have elapsed since the last redistribution. On Friday 6 January 2017, in accordance with section 59 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (the Electoral Act), the Electoral Commission directed that a redistribution commence.

On Thursday 13 November 2014, the then acting Electoral Commissioner made a determination under sub-section 48(1) of the Electoral Act of the number of members of the House of Representatives each state and territory would be entitled to at the next general election.  As a result of this determination, at the commencement date of Friday 6 January 2017, Queensland’s entitlement was 30 members of the House of Representatives.

On Thursday 31 August 2017, the Electoral Commissioner made a determination under sub-section 48(1) of the Electoral Act of the number of members of the House of Representatives each state and territory would be entitled to at the next general election.  As a result of this subsequent determination, Queensland’s entitlement remained at 30 members of the House of Representatives.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A REDISTRIBUTION

In making its proposed redistribution, the Redistribution Committee was bound by section 66 of the Electoral Act.

The number of electors in each proposed electoral division must not deviate by more than 10 per cent above or below the current enrolment quota. The current enrolment quota for Queensland was determined by the Electoral Commissioner to be 103,203 electors as at Friday 6 January 2017.

As far as practicable, the Redistribution Committee must ensure that the number of electors enrolled in each division at Monday 27 September 2021 (the projection time) will not deviate by more than 3.5 per cent above or below the projected enrolment quota. The projected enrolment quota for Queensland is 110,124 electors.

Enrolment as at Friday 6 January 2017, the projected enrolment figures, current and projected enrolment quotas, and the redistribution timetable, are available on the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website: www.aec.gov.au/qld-redistribution

Section 66 of the Electoral Act also provides that the Redistribution Committee:

‘give due consideration, in relation to each proposed Electoral Division, to:

(i) community of interests within the proposed Electoral Division, including economic, social and regional interests;

(ii)                 means of communication and travel within the proposed Electoral Division;

(iv) the physical features and area of the proposed Electoral Division; and

(v) the boundaries of existing Divisions in the State or Territory’.

Consideration of existing boundaries is subordinate to the other factors set out above.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR?

Notices inviting suggestions relating to the redistribution and comments on suggestions were placed in:

• the Commonwealth Government Notices Gazette (the Gazette) on Wednesday 19 April 2017,
• the Courier Mail, the Townsville Bulletin, the Cairns Post and The Weekend Australian on Saturday 22 April 2017,
• the Queensland Country and the North Queensland Register on Thursday 27 April 2017, and
• the Koori Mail on Wednesday 3 May 2017.

Twenty-five suggestions and 15 comments on suggestions were received and all were considered by the Redistribution Committee in the development of its proposal.  

The proposed federal divisions

The Redistribution Committee proposes retaining the names of the 30 electoral divisions in Queensland.

The Redistribution Committee was required to alter electoral division boundaries as 11 of the 30 electoral divisions fell outside the range for the permissible maximum and minimum number of projected electors as at Monday 27 September 2021.

The Redistribution Committee proposes altering the current electoral division boundaries such that:

• the entirety of the Chuwar, Karana Downs, Kholo and Mount Crosby localities are located in the proposed Division of Blair,
• the entirety of the Bakers Creek, Balberra, Chelona, Dunnrock, McEwens Beach and Rosella localities are located in the proposed Division of Capricornia,
• parts of the Bridgeman Downs, Ferny Hills and McDowall localities are located in the proposed Division of Dickson,
• the entirety of the Chevallum, Hunchy, Palmwoods and West Woombye localities, and part of the Woombye locality, are located in the proposed Division of Fisher,
• the entirety of the Burgowan, Dundathu, Prawle, Susan River, Takura, Tandora, Torbanlea, Walliebum and Walligan localities, and part of the Aldershot locality, are located in the proposed Division of Hinkler,
• the entirety of the Bentley Park, Edmonton, Portsmith and Wrights Creek localities, and part of the Mount Sheridan locality, are located in the proposed Division of Kennedy,
• the entirety of the Molendinar locality is located in the proposed Division of Moncrieff,
• the entirety of the Annerley and Tarragindi localities are located in the proposed Division of Moreton,
• part of the Oxley locality is located in the proposed Division of Oxley, and
• parts of the Ashgrove and Enoggera localities are located in the proposed Division of Ryan.

Under the proposed redistribution, 33,604 electors or 1.09 per cent of electors would change from their current federal electoral division.

VIEWING THE REDISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE’S PROPOSAL

The Redistribution Committee’s report, including maps, is available electronically on the AEC website (www.aec.gov.au/qld-redistribution).

A printed copy of the report can also be inspected in AEC offices in Queensland and at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for Queensland (Level 7, 488 Queen Street, Brisbane). The location of each AEC office is available on the AEC website or by phoning 13 23 26.

What happens next?

Objections

Any interested person or organisation who wishes to make an objection to the proposed boundaries or names of electoral divisions contained in the proposed redistribution has until 6pm AEST Friday 27 October 2017 to lodge a written objection via the means listed in the ‘How to lodge an objection or comment on an objection’ section below. Objections received after the prescribed lodgement time cannot be considered.

People or organisations making objections are requested, where practical, to provide any paper maps in A4/A3 size to facilitate copying.

Comments on objections

Objections will be available for public inspection from Monday 30 October 2017 at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for Queensland (Level 7, 488 Queen Street, Brisbane) and on the AEC’s website (www.aec.gov.au/qld-redistribution). Any written comments on the objections must be lodged in writing with the AEC by 6pm AEST Friday 10 November 2017. Comments received after the prescribed lodgement time cannot be considered.

The comments on objections will be available for public inspection from Monday 13 November 2017 at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for Queensland (Level 7, 488 Queen Street, Brisbane) and on the AEC’s website (www.aec.gov.au/qld-redistribution).

Objections considered by the augmented Electoral Commission

Written objections and comments on objections are considered by the augmented Electoral Commission. The augmented Electoral Commission for Queensland comprises of:

• the three members of the Australian Electoral Commission – the Chairperson, the Electoral Commissioner and a non-judicial member, currently the Australian Statistician, and
• the three remaining members of the Redistribution Committee – the Australian Electoral Officer for Queensland, the Executive Director of Land and Spatial Information, Department of Natural Resources and Mines, and the Queensland Auditor-General.

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

The second redistribution proposal

After it has considered all objections and comments, the augmented Electoral Commission will make its own proposed redistribution. 

Further objections

If the augmented Electoral Commission’s proposed redistribution is significantly different from the Redistribution Committee’s proposal, the augmented Electoral Commission will invite further objections. Information will be provided should this stage be required.

Final determination

After considering all submissions, the augmented Electoral Commission will make a final determination of boundaries and names of the electoral divisions for Queensland by notice published in the Gazette on Tuesday 27 March 2018.

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 Parliament. Once this has occurred, this material will be made available to the public via the AEC website.

When will the new federal ELECTORAL DIVISONS come into effect?

The names and boundaries of the new federal electoral divisions will be in place from the determination on Tuesday 27 March 2018.  However, electoral events will not be contested on these new electoral divisions until a writ is issued for a general election following the expiry or dissolution of the House of Representatives.

HOW TO LODGE AN OBJECTION OR A COMMENT ON AN OBJECTION

Objections and comments on objections should be lodged via the AEC website at: www.aec.gov.au/qld-redistribution. Objections and comments on objections can also be submitted:

■        by email to: FedRedistribution-QLD@aec.gov.au

■        in person, during business hours, to: The Australian Electoral Commission (Att: Redistribution Secretariat), Level 7, 488 Queen Street, Brisbane

■        by mail to: The Australian Electoral Commission (Att: Redistribution Secretariat), GPO Box 2590, Brisbane QLD 4001

■        by fax to: 07 3834 3496.

Public availability of OBJECTIONS and comments on OBJECTIONS

The Electoral Act requires that submissions to the Redistribution Committee be made publicly available. Copies of all submissions will be made available in full for public inspection at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for Queensland (Level 7, 488 Queen Street, Brisbane), in accordance with the Electoral Act.

All submissions will also be published in full on the AEC’s website and included in reports produced by the augmented Electoral Commission.

Signatures and address details of people and organisations who lodge written submissions will be removed prior to publication.

It is strongly recommended those wishing to make an objection or comments on objections read the ‘Guidelines for making a public suggestion’.

MORE INFORMATION

Persons or organisations intending to make submissions are urged to take account of the requirements of the Electoral Act. In particular, those making submissions are advised to ensure their submissions are in the physical possession of the Australian Electoral Commission by the relevant closing time.

A wide range of information is available on the AEC’s website, including:

• further information about the federal redistribution process in Queensland, including an indicative timetable and background information – www.aec.gov.au/qld-redistribution  
• information about current electoral divisions in Queensland – www.aec.gov.au/profiles/index.htm
• Guidelines for making a public submission – www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/Redistributions/guidelines-for-submissions.htm
• Guidelines for naming federal electoral divisions – www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/Redistributions/guidelines.htm
• the legal requirements for a federal redistribution as outlined in Part IV of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 – www.aec.gov.au/Elections/australian_electoral_system/Electoral_Legislation.htm)
• general information about the redistribution process – www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/Redistributions/.

Further information can be obtained from the Redistribution Secretariat:

Telephone: 07 3834 3458

Email: FedRedistribution-QLD@aec.gov.au