PROPOSED Redistribution of Federal Electoral DIVISIONS IN WEstern Australia

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

Members of the public and organisations are invited to inspect:

• the report of the Redistribution Committee showing 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?

As part of a determination on Friday 3 July 2020 of the number of members of the House of Representatives to which each state and territory will be entitled at the next federal general election, the Electoral Commissioner determined Western Australia’s entitlement decreased from 16 to 15 members of the House of Representatives.

As a redistribution is required when a state’s entitlement to members of the House of Representatives changes, in accordance with section 59 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (the Electoral Act), the Electoral Commission directed that a redistribution of Western Australia commence on Wednesday 15 July 2020.

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 redistribution quota. The redistribution quota for Western Australia was determined by the Electoral Commissioner to be 112,172 as at Wednesday 15 July 2020.

As far as practicable, the Redistribution Committee must ensure that the number of electors enrolled in each division at Sunday 2 February 2025 (the projection time) will not deviate by more than 3.5 per cent above or below the projected enrolment quota of 116,838 electors.

Enrolment as at Wednesday 15 July 2020, the projected enrolment figures, redistribution and projected enrolment quotas, and the redistribution timetable, are available on the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website: www.aec.gov.au/WA-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 23 September 2020,
• the Farm Weekly on Thursday 24 September 2020;
• the West Australian and Weekend Australian on Saturday 26 September 2020; and
• the Koori Mail on Wednesday 7 October 2020.

Twenty-seven suggestions and 17 comments on suggestions were received and all were considered by the Redistribution Committee in the development of its proposal.  

The proposed federal divisions

The Division of Stirling is proposed to be abolished.

The Redistribution Committee proposes retaining the names of Western Australia’s existing electoral divisions and that the existing Division of Canning be jointly named to honour:

• Sadie Miriam Canning MBE (1930–2008), and
• Alfred Wernam Canning (1860–1936).

Sadie Canning made a significant contribution to improving Indigenous and rural healthcare in Western Australia.

The proposal to alter the basis for the naming of an electoral division will affect 105,454 electors enrolled in Western Australia (6.27 per cent of all electors enrolled in Western Australia on Wednesday 15 July 2020).

The Redistribution Committee proposes changing the boundaries of 14 of Western Australia’s existing electoral divisions.

As a result of the proposed redistribution, 299,927 electors enrolled in Western Australia (17.83 per cent of all electors enrolled in Western Australia on Wednesday 15 July 2020) will change their federal electoral division.

VIEWING THE REDISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE’S PROPOSAL

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

A printed copy of the report can also be inspected in AEC offices in Western Australia and at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for Western Australia (Level 13, 200 St Georges Terrace, Perth). 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 AWST Friday 16 April 2021 to lodge a written objection via the means listed in the ‘How to lodge an objection or a 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 19 April 2021 at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for Western Australia (Level 13, 200 St Georges Terrace, Perth) and on the AEC’s website (www.aec.gov.au/WA-redistribution). Any written comments on objections must be lodged in writing with the AEC by 6pm AWST Friday 30 April 2021. Comments received after the prescribed lodgement time cannot be considered.

The comments on objections will be available for public inspection from Monday 3 May 2021 at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for Western Australia (Level 13, 200 St Georges Terrace, Perth) and on the AEC’s website (www.aec.gov.au/WA-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 Western Australia 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 Western Australia, the Surveyor General of Western Australia and the Auditor General for Western Australia.

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

The second redistribution proposal

After it has considered all objections and comments on objections, 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 Western Australia by notice published in the Gazette on Monday 2 August 2021.

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 DIVISIONS come into effect?

The new names and boundaries of electoral divisions will be in place from the determination on Monday 2 August 2021.  However, electoral events will not be contested on these new electoral divisions until a writ is issued for a general election following the next 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/WA-redistribution. Objections and comments on objections can also be submitted:

• by email to: FedRedistribution-WA@aec.gov.au
• by fax to: 02 6293 7658
• by mail to: WA Redistribution Secretariat, Australian Electoral Commission, Locked Bag 4007, Canberra  ACT  2601

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 Western Australia (Level 13, 200 St Georges Terrace, Perth), 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 a comment on an objection 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 Western Australia, including an indicative timetable and background information – www.aec.gov.au/WA-redistribution
• information about current electoral divisions in Western Australia – 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/About_AEC/index.htm
• general information about the redistribution process – www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/Redistributions/.

Further information can be obtained from the Redistribution Secretariat:

Telephone: 08 6363 8065

Email: FedRedistribution-WA@aec.gov.au