PROPOSED Redistribution of Federal Electoral DIVISIONS IN the Northern territory: 18 October 2024
The Redistribution Committee for the Northern Territory (the Redistribution Committee) has made a proposed redistribution of federal electoral divisions in the Northern Territory.
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?
A redistribution of federal electoral divisions in the Northern Territory is required because more than seven years have elapsed since the last redistribution. On Thursday 22 February 2024, in accordance with section 59 the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (the Electoral Act), the Electoral Commission directed that a redistribution commence.
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, it was determined that the Northern Territory remains entitled to two 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 redistribution quota. The redistribution quota for the Northern Territory was determined by the Electoral Commissioner to be 76,699 as at Thursday 22 February 2024.
As far as practicable, the Redistribution Committee must ensure that the number of electors enrolled in each division at Monday 4 September 2028 (the projection time) will not deviate by more than 3.5 per cent above or below the projected enrolment quota of 83,419 electors.
Enrolment as at Thursday 22 February 2024, 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/NT-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;
- 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.
Under section 56A of the Electoral Act, until such time as the Territory of Christmas Island or the Territory of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands is entitled to a member of the House of Representatives, each Territory is to be included in an electoral division in the Northern Territory. The Territory of Christmas Island and the Territory of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are currently part of the Division of Lingiari.
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 15 May 2024,
- the Atoll on Friday 24 May 2024,
- the NT News and Weekend Australian on Saturday 25 May 2024,
- the Islander on Friday 31 May 2024, and
- the Koori Mail on Wednesday 5 June 2024.
Six suggestions and one comment 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 Northern Territory’s two existing electoral divisions.
The Redistribution Committee proposes changing the boundaries of both Northern Territory’s existing electoral divisions.
As a result of the proposed redistribution, 5,015 electors enrolled in the Northern Territory (or 3.27 per cent of all electors enrolled in the Northern Territory on Thursday 22 February 2024) 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 (www.aec.gov.au/NT-redistribution).
A printed copy of the report can also be inspected in AEC offices in the Northern Territory and at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for the Northern Territory (Level 9, 9 Cavenagh Street, Darwin City NT 0800). 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 ACST Friday 15 November 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 18 November 2024 at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for the Northern Territory (Level 9, 9 Cavenagh Street, Darwin City NT 0800) and on the AEC’s website (www.aec.gov.au/NT-redistribution). Any written comments on the objections must be lodged in writing with the AEC by 6pm ACST Friday 29 November 2024. Comments received after the prescribed lodgement time cannot be considered.
The comments on objections will be available for public inspection from Monday 2 December 2024 at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for the Northern Territory (Level 9, 9 Cavenagh Street, Darwin City NT 0800) and on the AEC’s website (www.aec.gov.au/NT-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 the Northern Territory 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 the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory Surveyor-General and the Northern Territory 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 the Northern Territory by notice published in the Gazette on Tuesday 4 March 2025.
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 Tuesday 4 March 2025. 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/NT-redistribution. Objections and comments on objections can also be submitted:
- by email to: FedRedistribution-NT@aec.gov.au
- by mail to: Australian Electoral Commission (Attn: Northern Territory Redistribution Secretariat), 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 the Northern Territory (Level 9, 9 Cavenagh Street, Darwin City NT 0800), 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 the Northern Territory, including an indicative timetable and background information – www.aec.gov.au/NT-redistribution
information about current electoral divisions in the Northern Territory – www.aec.gov.au/profiles/index.htm
guidelines for making a public submission – www.aec.gov.au/redistributions/guidelines/submission-guidelines.html
guidelines for naming federal electoral divisions – https://www.aec.gov.au/redistributions/guidelines/naming-guidelines.html
the legal requirements for a federal redistribution as outlined in Part IV of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 – available from www.legislation.gov.au
general information about the redistribution process – www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/Redistributions/.
Further information can be obtained from the Redistribution Secretariat:
Telephone: (08) 7942 8024
Email: FedRedistribution-NT@aec.gov.au
Mr Tom Rogers | Mr Geoffrey Bloom | Mr Robert Sarib | Mr Jara Dean |
Electoral Commissioner | Australian Electoral Officer for the Northern Territory | Northern Territory Surveyor-General | Northern Territory Auditor-General |