1.2 Reasons for the determination made by the augmented Electoral Commission for South Australia

Updated: 7 March 2012

Executive summary

  1. On 12 August 2011 the Redistribution Committee released its proposed redistribution of federal electoral boundaries for South Australia.
  2. The Redistribution Committee noted that at least seven of the 11 federal electoral divisions in South Australia required change in order to meet the numerical criteria set out in the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (the Electoral Act).
  3. The Redistribution Committee noted that the juxtaposition of divisions that needed to gain and lose electors allowed it to propose boundary adjustments that met the numerical criteria while largely preserving, and in some case enhancing, communities of interest already established. The Redistribution Committee's approach of supplementing divisions with low projected enrolment from adjacent divisions with high projected enrolment resulted in a proposal that significantly reflected the views expressed in the public suggestions, produced clearly identifiable features as divisional boundaries, and minimised elector disruption with only 4.01% movement.
  4. The proposed redistribution attracted three objections and four comments on objections, primarily relating to the Barossa Council. An oral submission to the public inquiry was presented by a representative from the Barossa Council. The objections also identified five other matters of contention where alterations to the proposed boundaries were suggested.
  5. On the basis of the small number of objections, the augmented Electoral Commission was of the view that the Redistribution Committee's proposal had been generally well accepted.
  6. After careful consideration of the objections, comments on objections and the oral submission, the augmented Electoral Commission decided to adopt the Redistribution Committee's proposal for South Australia without change.
  7. As required by section 72(10)(b) of the Electoral Act, the augmented Electoral Commission issued a public announcement on 21 October 2011 outlining the substance of its findings in relation to the objections and its conclusions. (Appendix A note: this is a link to website content, you will need to use your browser back button to return to this report)
  8. The augmented Electoral Commission's findings, its conclusions, and the reasons for its decisions are detailed in this report.