PROPOSED Redistribution of Federal Electoral DIVISIONS IN NEW SOUTH WALES
14 June 2024
The Redistribution Committee for New South Wales (the Redistribution Committee) has made a proposed redistribution of federal electoral divisions in New South Wales.
Members of the public and organisations are invited to inspect:
Members of the public and organisations are now invited to lodge written objections against the proposed redistribution.
As part of a determination on Thursday 27 July 2023 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 New South Wales’ entitlement decreased from 47 to 46 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 New South Wales commence.
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 New South Wales was determined by the Electoral Commissioner to be 121,011 as at Wednesday 9 August 2023.
As far as practicable, the Redistribution Committee must ensure that the number of electors enrolled in each division at Monday 10 April 2028 (the projection time) will not deviate by more than 3.5 per cent above or below the projected enrolment quota of 129,621 electors.
Enrolment as at Wednesday 9 August 2023, 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/NSW-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.
Notices inviting suggestions relating to the redistribution and comments on suggestions were placed in:
Fifty-eight suggestions and 100 comments on suggestions were received and all were considered by the Redistribution Committee in the development of its proposal.
The Division of North Sydney is proposed to be abolished.
The Redistribution Committee proposes retaining the names of 45 of New South Wales’ existing electoral divisions and proposes the existing Division of Cook be jointly named to honour:
The Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Cook GCMG PC (1860–1947) was Prime Minister of Australia from 1913 to 1914 and a member of federal parliament from 1901 till 1921. Following his resignation from parliament, Cook served as the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1921 to 1927.
An electoral division named for Captain James Cook FRS (1728–1779), the navigator credited as the first European to discover the east coast of Australia, was created prior to the 1906 federal election and was retired prior to the 1955 federal election. The name was resurrected for the 1969 election and has been in use since this time.
The Redistribution Committee proposes changing the boundaries of 39 of New South Wales’ existing electoral divisions.
As a result of the proposed redistribution, 712,851 electors enrolled in New South Wales (or 12.81 per cent of all electors enrolled in New South Wales on Wednesday 9 August 2023) will change their federal electoral division.
The proposal to jointly name an electoral division will affect 116,059 electors enrolled in New South Wales (2.08 per cent of all electors enrolled in New South Wales on Wednesday 9 August 2023).
The Redistribution Committee’s report, including maps, is available electronically on the AEC website (www.aec.gov.au/NSW-redistribution).
A printed copy of the report can also be inspected in AEC offices in New South Wales and at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for New South Wales (Suite 13.03, 59 Goulburn St, Haymarket). 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 12 July 2024 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 15 July 2024 at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for New South Wales (Suite 13.03, 59 Goulburn St, Haymarket) and on the AEC’s website (www.aec.gov.au/NSW-redistribution). Any written comments on the objections must be lodged in writing with the AEC by 6pm AEST Friday 26 July 2024. Comments received after the prescribed lodgement time cannot be considered.
The comments on objections will be available for public inspection from Monday 29 July 2024 at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for New South Wales (Suite 13.03, 59 Goulburn St, Haymarket) and on the AEC’s website (www.aec.gov.au/NSW-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 New South Wales comprises of:
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 New South Wales by notice published in the Gazette on Thursday 10 October 2024.
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 new names and boundaries of electoral divisions will be in place from the determination on Thursday 10 October 2024. 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.
Objections and comments on objections should be lodged via the AEC website at: www.aec.gov.au/NSW-redistribution. Objections and comments on objections can also be submitted:
The Electoral Act requires that submissions to the Electoral Commission
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 New South Wales (Suite 13.03, 59 Goulburn St, Haymarket).
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 personal 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 Submission guidelines.
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 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 New South Wales, including an indicative timetable and background information – www.aec.gov.au/NSW-redistribution
information about current electoral divisions in New South Wales – 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 – available from www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC
general information about the redistribution process – www.aec.gov.au/redistributions/index.html
Further information can be obtained from the Redistribution Secretariat:
Telephone: 02 9127 2959
Email: FedRedistribution-NSW@aec.gov.au
Mr Tom Rogers | Ms Rebecca Main | Mrs Narelle Underwood | Mr Bola Oyetunji |
Electoral Commissioner | Australian Electoral Officer for New South Wales | Surveyor-General of New South Wales | Auditor-General for New South Wales |