Info
Boundary Delimitation
BD001
Delimitation of constituencies
Question: Are constituencies delimited for election purposes?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: (1) A Redistribution Committee for a State or the Australian Capital
Territory shall, in accordance with subsections (2), (3) and (4),
make a proposed redistribution of the State or Territory.
(2) The proposed redistribution shall propose the distribution of the
State or Territory into Electoral Divisions equal in number to the
number of members of the House of Representatives to be chosen
in the State or Territory at a general election.
(Section 66).
For the purposes of enrolment and voting in federal elections, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an electoral district of the Commonwealth Division of Lingiari in the Northern Territory.
The municipality is not divided into wards.
Source: Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, as amended on 8 March 2019, Section 66: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00103
https://www.regional.gov.au/territories/Cocos_Keeling/governanceadministration.aspx
Verified: 2019/07/05
BD003
Criteria for drawing boundaries
Question: On what criteria are the boundaries drawn?
Answer(s):
a . "Equality" of population b . Respecting natural barriers d . Conformity with local jurisdiction boundaries f . Communities of interest/cultural concerns
Comments: (3) In making the proposed redistribution, the Redistribution
Committee:
(a) shall, as far as practicable, endeavour to ensure that, if the
State or Territory were redistributed in accordance with the
proposed redistribution, the number of electors enrolled in
each Electoral Division in the State or Territory would not, at
the projection time determined under section 63A, be less
than 96.5% or more than 103.5% of the average divisional
enrolment of that State or Territory at that time; and
(b) subject to paragraph (a), shall 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;
and subject thereto the quota of electors for the State or Territory
shall be the basis for the proposed redistribution, and the
Redistribution Committee may adopt a margin of allowance, to be
used whenever necessary, but in no case shall the quota be
departed from to a greater extent than one-tenth more or one-tenth
less.
(Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918).
16G. Districts, how State to be divided into
(1) For the purposes of this section the Commissioners shall divide
the number of electors by the number of districts, and the result
of that division is referred to as the average district enrolment.
(2) The Commissioners shall divide the State into districts in
accordance with the principle that, for each district, the number
of electors that the district would have had at the relevant day
must not be more than 10% greater, or more than 10% less, than
the average district enrolment at the relevant day.
(3) If a district has an area of 100 000 square kilometres or more,
subsection (2) does not apply but the sum of —
(a) the number of electors that the district would have had at
the relevant day; and
(b) the large district allowance,
must not be more than 10% greater, or more than 20% less, than
the average district enrolment at the relevant day.
(4) In subsection (3) —
large district allowance means 1.5% of the number of square
kilometres in the area of the district.
[Section 16G inserted: No. 1 of 2005 s. 4.]
16I. Dividing State, matters Commissioners to consider when
In making the division of the State into regions and districts the
Commissioners shall give due consideration to —
(a) community of interest; and
(b) land use patterns; and
(c) means of communication, means of travel and distance
from the capital; and
(d) physical features; and
(e) existing boundaries of regions and districts; and (f) existing local government boundaries; and
(g) the trend of demographic changes.
(Western Australia Local Government Act 1995).
For local elections, Cocos Islands function as one district.
Source: Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, as amended on 8 March 2019, Section 66: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00103
Western Australia Local Government Act 1995, as amended on 20 November 2018, section 16G, 16I: https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/main_mrtitle_551_homepage.html
Verified: 2019/07/05
BD005
Body responsible for drawing boundaries
Question: The body responsible for drawing the boundaries is:
Answer(s):
d . Boundary Commission e . Electoral Management Body (EMB)
Comments: (1) For the purposes of each redistribution of a State, the Electoral
Commission shall, as soon as practicable after the commencement
of the redistribution, appoint, by instrument in writing, a
Redistribution Committee for the State. (Section 60).
(1) A Redistribution Committee for a State or the Australian Capital
Territory shall, in accordance with subsections (2), (3) and (4),
make a proposed redistribution of the State or Territory. (Section 66).
Source: Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, as amended on 8 March 2019, Section 60, 66: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00103
Verified: 2019/07/05
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