Proposed Redistribution of Federal Electoral Boundaries in Western Australia

PROPOSED Redistribution of Federal Electoral Boundaries IN Western Australia

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

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 Western Australia 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. Western Australia’s entitlement increased from 15 to 16 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 Western Australia was determined by the then acting Electoral Commissioner to be 94 026 as at 1 December 2014.

As far as practicable, the Redistribution Committee must ensure that the number of electors enrolled in each division at 8 February 2017 (the projection time) will not deviate by more than 3.5 per cent above or below the projected enrolment quota.

The actual and 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/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 Gazette on Wednesday 11 March 2015 and in The Weekend West and The Weekend Australian newspapers on Saturday 14 March 2015. 27 suggestions and 16 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 the 16th electoral division, to be named the Division of Burt, be located in the Armadale and Gosnells area of the south‑eastern Perth metropolitan region. Further, the Redistribution Committee proposes that electors be transferred from the existing Divisions of Canning, Hasluck, Swan and Tangney to create the new electoral division. Consequential changes are made to all other divisions in order to meet the numerical requirements for a redistribution that are contained in the Electoral Act and to accommodate, to the extent possible, community of interests considerations. Additionally, the Redistribution Committee has, to the extent possible, addressed community of interests considerations by locating local government areas and localities within a single division. A small number of changes are proposed in order to provide stronger and more readily identifiable electoral boundaries.

The Redistribution Committee has not proposed changes to the names of any existing divisions.

VIEWING THE REDISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE’S PROPOSAL

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

A printed copy of the report can also be inspected at 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 Australian Western Standard Time (AWST) Friday 18 September 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 21 September 2015 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 the objections must be lodged in writing with the AEC by 6pm (AWST) Friday 2 October 2015. Comments received after the prescribed lodgement time cannot be considered.

The comments on objections will be available for public inspection from Monday 5 October 2015 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 acting Australian Electoral Officer for Western Australia, Auditor-General for Western Australia and Surveyor-General of Western Australia.

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 Western Australia by notice published in the Gazette on 19 January 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 19 January 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/wa-redistribution. Objections and comments on objections can also be submitted:

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

■        in person, during business hours, to: The Australian Electoral Commission (Att Redistribution Secretariat), Level 13, 200 St Georges Terrace, Perth

■        by mail to: The Australian Electoral Commission (Att Redistribution Secretariat), PO Box 7081, Cloisters Square PO, WA, 6850

■        by fax to: 08 6363 8016.

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 Western Australia (Level 13, 200 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA, 6000), 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 Western Australia.  

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 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/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: 08 6363 8043

Email: FedRedistribution-WA@aec.gov.au

Redistribution of state electoral boundaries

For information about the review of Western Australia’s state electoral districts visit www.boundaries.wa.gov.au/ . This is a separate process not administered by the AEC and is not related to federal parliament.