Proposed Redistribution of Federal Electoral Boundaries in New South Wales

PROPOSED Redistribution of Federal Electoral Boundaries IN New South Wales

The Redistribution Committee for New South Wales (the Redistribution Committee) has made a proposed redistribution of federal electoral boundaries in New South Wales.

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 boundaries in New South Wales is required following a determination on 13 November 2014 of the number of members of the House of Representatives to which each state and territory will be entitled at the next election of all members of the House of Representatives. New South Wales’s entitlement decreased from 48 to 47 members. On 1 December 2014, in accordance with section 59 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (the Electoral Act), the Electoral Commission directed that a redistribution commence.

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 New South Wales was determined by the then acting Electoral Commissioner to be 103 481 as at 1 December 2014.

As far as practicable, the Redistribution Committee must ensure that the number of electors enrolled in each division at 25 August 2019 (the projection time) will not deviate by more than 3.5 per cent above or below the projected enrolment quota.

Enrolment as at 1 December 2014, 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/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.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR?

Notices inviting suggestions relating to the redistribution and comments on suggestions were placed in the Gazette on Wednesday 22 April 2015 and in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Daily Telegraph and The Australian newspapers on Saturday 25 April 2015. A notice also appeared in The Land on Thursday 30 April 2015. Twenty-three suggestions and 157 comments on suggestions were received and all were considered by the Redistribution Committee in the development of its proposal.  

The proposed federal divisions

Changes to projected enrolment across the state has necessitated significant adjustment of electoral boundaries: the only boundary remaining unchanged is the Division of Kingsford Smith.

A series of demographic changes along the northern coastal strip of New South Wales led to the Redistribution Committee unanimously proposing the abolition of the existing Division of Hunter.

While the existing Division of Hunter is proposed for abolition, the Redistribution Committee proposes renaming the existing Division of Charlton as the Division of Hunter.  ‘Hunter’ is an original federation electoral division name from 1901, and retaining the name of ‘Hunter’ is consistent with the Guidelines for naming federal electoral divisions. 

The existing Division of Throsby, with some modifications to the boundaries, is proposed to be renamed ‘Whitlam’ in honour of the late Prime Minister, the Hon. Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC.  The Guidelines for naming federal electoral divisions note that consideration should be given to naming electoral divisions after former Prime Ministers.

Under the proposed redistribution, 944 592 electors or 19.42 per cent of electors would change from their current federal electoral division. (Electors from the existing Division of Throsby who are retained in the proposed Division of Whitlam are not included in these numbers.)

VIEWING THE REDISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE’S PROPOSAL

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 at AEC offices in New South Wales and at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for New South Wales (Level 10, 59 Goulburn Street, Sydney, NSW).  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 Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) Friday 13 November 2015 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 16 November 2015 at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for New South Wales (Level 10, 59 Goulburn Street, Sydney, NSW) 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 (AEDT) Friday 27 November 2015. Comments received after the prescribed lodgement time cannot be considered.

The comments on objections will be available for public inspection from Monday 30 November 2015 at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for New South Wales (Level 10, 59 Goulburn Street, Sydney, NSW) 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:

• 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 New South Wales, Surveyor-General for New South Wales and Auditor-General of New South Wales.

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 25 February 2016.

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 boundaries come into effect?

The new boundaries will apply at the first election held for all members of the House of Representatives after the determination date of 25 February 2016.

Should an election for all members of the House of Representatives be held before this date, a mini-redistribution will occur in accordance with section 76 of the Electoral Act.

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/nsw-redistribution. Objections and comments on objections can also be submitted:

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

■        in person, during business hours, to: The Australian Electoral Commission (Att: Redistribution Secretariat), Level 10, 59 Goulburn Street, Sydney, NSW

■        by mail to: The Australian Electoral Commission (Att: Redistribution Secretariat), PO Box 20799, World Square PO, NSW, 2002

■        by fax to: (02) 6215 9913.

Public availability of OBJECTIONS and comments on OBJECTIONS

The Electoral Act requires that objections and comments on objections are 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 (Level 10, 59 Goulburn Street, Sydney, NSW), 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 for New South Wales.  

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

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 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 – 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: 02 9375 6317

Email: FedRedistribution-NSW@aec.gov.au