Redistribution (Australia)
In Australia, a redistribution is the process of redrawing the boundaries of electoral divisions for the House of Representatives arising from changes in population and changes in the number of representatives. There is no redistribution for the Senate as each State constitutes a division, though with multiple members. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), an independent statutory authority, oversees the apportionment and redistribution process for federal divisions, taking into account a number of factors.[1] Politicians, political parties and the public may make submissions to the AEC on proposed new boundaries, but any interference with their deliberations is considered a serious offence.
Section 24 of the Constitution of Australia specifies that the number of members of the House of Representatives in each state is to be calculated from their population, although each state is entitled to a minimum of five members regardless of population. This minimum condition currently only applies to Tasmania, the smallest state. Representation of territories has been specified by subsequent laws. After the number of members for each state and territory is determined, in a process called apportionment or determination, the state and territory is divided into that number of electoral divisions.
A redistribution (sometimes called redrawing or "revision")[2] of the geographic boundaries of divisions in a state or territory takes place when an apportionment determination results in a change in the number of seats to which a state or territory is entitled, at least once every seven years, or sooner when the AEC determines that population shifts within a state or territory have caused some seats to have too many or too few voters. The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 requires that all electoral divisions within a state or territory have approximately an equal numbers of enrolled voters. The Commonwealth Electoral Act (No. 2) 1973 reduced the allowed variation of electors in each division to 10% of the state or territory's average, down from 20%.[3] New boundaries apply only to general elections held after the redistribution process has been completed, and by-elections are held on the previous electoral boundaries.
Each state and territory has its own commission which follows similar but not identical processes and principles for determining electoral boundaries and conducting elections within their jurisdiction, and those of local governments.
Under Section 59 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, a redistribution of State divisions is required or triggered in three circumstances:[4]
Total number of members[edit]
Section 24 of the Constitution specifies that the total number of members of the House of Representatives shall be "as nearly as practicable" twice as many as the number of members of the Senate. There is presently a total of 76 senators: 12 senators from each of the six states and two from each of the two autonomous internal territories (the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory). Since the 2019 federal election, there have been 151 members of the House of Representatives.
The total number of members of the House of Representatives, and consequently electorates, has increased from time to time. Every time there is an increase in the number of members, a redistribution is required to be undertaken, except in Tasmania which has always had the constitutional minimum number of five members. At the first federal election there were 65 members of the House of Representatives. In 1949, the number was increased from 74 to 121 (excluding the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory),[5] and in 1984 it was increased from 125 to 148.[6] Following the 2017 apportionment, the total number of members increased from 150 to 151. Following the 2023 apportionment, the total number of members will decrease from 151 back to 150.
Apportionments[edit]
2023 apportionment[edit]
The latest apportionment determination was made in July 2023. Following its timeline, the AEC on 27 July 2023 announced an apportionment determination based on the population figures for December 2022. The determination resulted in a reduction of one seat in New South Wales to 46, a reduction of one seat in Victoria to 38 and an increase of one seat in Western Australia to 16. The total number of seats in the House of Representatives will decrease from 151 to 150 at the next federal election.[19] In May 2024, the AEC proposed that a new electorate of Bullwinkel be created in Western Australia, and the electorate of Higgins in Victoria be abolished.[20] In June 2024, the AEC also proposed that electorate of North Sydney in NSW be abolished.[21]
Recent redistributions[edit]
Australian Capital Territory[edit]
The most recent redistribution of federal electoral divisions in the Australian Capital Territory commenced on 4 September 2017, due to changes in the territory's representation entitlement. The AEC released a proposed redistribution on 6 April 2018, and the final determination on 13 July 2018.[35] The redistribution resulted in the creation of a third ACT electoral division named Bean (notionally fairly safe Labor), after historian Charles Bean.[36][37]
The next scheduled redistribution will begin within 30 days from 13 July 2025, seven years after the previous redistribution.
New South Wales[edit]
New South Wales last underwent a redistribution on 25 February 2016, before the May 2016 federal election.[38]
Due to another change in the state's representation entitlement, New South Wales will undergo a redistribution in 2024 which will abolish a seat and reducing the entitlement to 46. If there had been no change in entitlement, the state would still have undergone a scheduled redistribution anyway (seven years since the previous redistribution). In the draft redistribution announced on 14 June 2024, the seat of North Sydney is proposed to be abolished.[39]
Northern Territory[edit]
On 7 December 2016, the Electoral Commission for the Northern Territory announced the results of its deliberations into the boundaries of Lingiari and Solomon, the two federal electoral divisions in the Northern Territory. New boundaries gazetted from 7 February 2017 will see the remainder of the Litchfield Municipality and parts of Palmerston (the suburbs of Farrar, Johnston, Mitchell, Zuccoli and part of Yarrawonga) transferred from Solomon to Lingiari.[40]
The following scheduled redistribution began on 22 February 2024.[41] The number of seats for the Northern Territory (two seats) will remain unchanged.
Queensland[edit]
A scheduled redistribution began in Queensland on 6 January 2017, and was finalised on 27 March 2018. Changes were made to the boundaries of 18 of Queensland's 30 electoral divisions, and no division names were changed.[42]
The next scheduled redistribution will begin within 30 days from 27 March 2025, seven years after the previous redistribution.
South Australia[edit]
The redistribution in South Australia commenced on 4 September 2017. The proposed redistribution report was released on 13 April 2018, and the final determination on 20 July 2018. The AEC abolished the division of Port Adelaide.[43] The hybrid urban-rural seat of Wakefield became the entirely urban seat of Spence, after Catherine Helen Spence.[44][45] The more rural portions of Wakefield transferred to Grey and Barker.[46]
Port Adelaide was abolished due to population changes since the state's last redistribution in 2011. Although South Australia's population was still increasing, faster increases in other states saw a reduction in South Australia's representation from 11 to 10 seats. This was the third time South Australia lost a seat since the 1984 enlargement of the parliament, with Hawker abolished in 1993 and Bonython in 2004.[47][48][49]
The next scheduled redistribution will begin within 30 days from 20 July 2025, seven years after the previous redistribution.
Tasmania[edit]
A scheduled redistribution began in Tasmania on 1 September 2016.[50] The determinations were announced on 27 September 2017, involved boundary changes, and the Division of Denison was renamed the Division of Clark.[51] Final determination was on 14 November 2017.
The next scheduled redistribution will begin within 30 days from 14 November 2024, seven years after the previous redistribution. With redistributions typically taking more than a year, the redistribution will not take effect before the federal election scheduled for 2024–2025.
Western Australia[edit]
A redistribution of federal election divisions in Western Australia was undertaken in 2020, due to changes in the state's representation entitlement. The determinations were made on 2 August 2021, and abolished the Division of Stirling.
Due to changes in the state's representation entitlement, Western Australia will regain a seat in the 2024 redistribution. In the draft redistribution announced on 31 May 2024, the new seat is proposed to be named Bullwinkel.[52]
Victoria[edit]
A redistribution of federal electoral divisions in Victoria commenced on 4 September 2017, due to changes in the state's representation entitlement. The determinations were made on 13 July 2018, and created a 38th electoral division named Fraser (notionally a safe Labor).[53]
Several divisions were also renamed: Batman to Cooper (after William Cooper), McMillan to Monash (after Sir John Monash), Melbourne Ports to Macnamara (after Dame Jean Macnamara) and Murray to Nicholls (after Sir Douglas and Lady Nicholls). A proposal to rename Corangamite to Cox (after swimming instructor May Cox) did not proceed.[54]
The Coalition notionally lost the seat of Dunkley and Corangamite to Labor in the redistribution.[55]
Another redistribution in Victoria was finalised and gazetted on 26 July 2021, creating a 39th electoral division named Division of Hawke (notionally a safe Labor). None of the existing 38 divisions were notionally lost in the redistribution.[56]
Due to another change in the state's representation entitlement, Victoria will undergo a third consecutive redistribution in 2024 which will abolish a seat and returning the entitlement to 38 seats. In the draft redistribution announced on 31 May 2024, the seat of Higgins is proposed to be abolished.[57]
Redistribution process[edit]
A redistribution is undertaken on a State-by-State basis. After the redistribution process commences, 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. 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.
Neither the Government nor the Parliament can reject or amend the final determination of the augmented Electoral Commission.
Notional seat status[edit]
After a redistribution is carried out in a state or territory, the AEC calculates "notional" margins for the redistributed divisions by modelling the outcome of the previous election as if the new boundaries had been in place. These notional margins are used as the baseline for the electoral swings calculated and published in the AEC's virtual tally room at the following election.[62] In some cases, the change in electoral boundaries can see the party which notionally holds the seat differ from the party which won it at the election.[63]