Redistribution (Australia)

In Australia, a redistribution is the process of redrawing the boundaries of electoral divisions of the House of Representatives, a process that in the United States is called redistricting. The Australian Electoral Commission, oversees the process of redistribution, taking into account many factors, including the one vote, one value principle.

In the House of Representatives each State and Territory is divided into electoral divisions. Section 24 of the Constitution of Australia specifies that the number of divisions in each State is calculated by reference to their population, with a minimum of five divisions guaranteed for each original State. To ensure that there are as much as practicable an equal number of electors in each division within a State or Territory, or equal representation, the boundaries of these divisions must be redrawn or redistributed periodically. A redistribution (or redrawing) of the geographic boundaries of divisions takes place about once every seven years.

Number of seats by States

The number of seats by States is calculated as follows:

• Population quota = Total population of the six states / (Number of Senators for the states x 2)
• Number of members in the House of Representatives = Total population of individual state or territory / Population quota

The population in each State is officially determined by the periodic national censuses. The entitlement of each state is rounded to the nearest whole number, and each State is entitled to a minimum of 5 members.

The last census was held in 2011. The number of seats by States in the House of Representatives arising from the 2014 determination were as follows:

• New South Wales 47
• Victoria 37
• Queensland 30
• Western Australia 16
• South Australia 11
• Tasmania 5
• Australian Capital Territory 2
• Northern Territory 2

• Total 150

This represented a loss of one seat for New South Wales and an increase of one seat for Western Australia. The redistribution in New South Wales was announced on 16 October 2015, with the abolition of the Labor-held Division of Hunter. The next census is due in 2016.

When required

A redistribution of State divisions is required in three circumstances:

• a change in the number of parliamentary representatives to which a State or Territory is entitled, due to a change in population, subject to the minimum number of divisions in original States.

• the number of electors in more than one third of the divisions in a State or one of the divisions in the ACT or Northern Territory deviates from the average divisional enrolment by over 10% for a period of more than two months.

• seven years has elapsed since the previous redistribution.

On 13 November 2014, the Australian Electoral Commission announced that a redistribution of electoral boundaries in the states of New South Wales and Western Australia would be undertaken before the next election. A determination of the states' membership entitlements under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 means that Western Australia's entitlement will increase from 15 to 16 seats, and New South Wales' will decrease from 48 to 47 seats. A redistribution will also occur in the Australian Capital Territory, as seven years have elapsed since the last time the ACT's boundaries were reviewed.

However, a redistribution is postponed if it would begin within one year of the expiration of the House of Representatives to prevent a general election from occurring during a redistribution. The present House of Representatives will expire on 11 November 2016.

Process

A redistribution is undertaken on a State-by-State basis. A Redistribution Committee consisting of the Electoral Commissioner, the Australian Electoral Officer for the State concerned (in the ACT, the senior Divisional Returning officer), the State Surveyor General and the State Auditor General is formed.

After the redistribution process commences, the Electoral Commissioner invites public suggestions on the redistribution which must be lodged within 30 days. A further period of 14 days is allowed for comments on the suggestions lodged. The Redistribution Committee then divides the State or Territory into divisions and publishes its proposed redistribution. A period of 28 days is allowed after publication of the proposed redistribution for written objections. A further period of 14 days is provided for comments on the objections lodged.

These objections are considered by an augmented Electoral Commission consisting of the four members of the Redistribution Committee and the two part-time members of the Electoral Commission. At the time of the redistribution the number of electors in the divisions may vary up to 10% from the 'quota' or average divisional figure but at a point 3.5 years after the expected completion of the redistribution, the figures should not vary from the average projected quota by more or less than 3.5%. Thus the most rapidly growing divisions are generally started with enrolments below the quota while those that are losing population are started above the quota.

The Parliament has no power to reject or amend the final determination of the augmented Electoral Commission.

Management

Boundaries for the Australian House of Representatives and for the six state and two territorial legislatures are drawn up by independent authorities - at the federal level by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) and in the states and territories by their equivalent bodies. Politicians have no influence over the process, although they, along with any other citizen or organisation, can make submissions to the independent authorities suggesting changes.

Interference in the redistribution process by politicians, of the kind which is common in the United States, would be a criminal offence in Australia. In 1977, federal Cabinet minister Reg Withers was forced to resign for suggesting to another minister that the name of a federal electorate be changed to suit a political ally. There have, however, been some conspicuous examples of malapportionment under the electoral system, when for example rural areas within a State have been allocated more divisions than their population would merit.

Alternative Names

• Other names for redistribution include "Revision".

External links

• Adam Carr's Electoral Archive: Index of House of Representatives Divisions 1901-2001