Victorians have chance to shape new federal electorates

Members of the public are being invited to propose changes to the boundaries and names of federal electorates in Victoria.

Population growth means Victoria’s entitlement to seats in the House of Representatives has risen from 38 to 39, and this will require most of the state’s federal divisions to be altered to some degree.

From today, 16 September, members of the public can start lodging written submissions with the Redistribution Committee for Victoria.

The deadline for submissions is 6pm AEDT on Friday 16 October 2020, and written suggestions will be published on the Australian Electoral Commission website on Monday 19 October 2020. The public will then have until 6pm AEDT on Friday 30 October 2020 to lodge written comments on suggestions.

The Australian Electoral Commissioner and Chair of the Redistribution Committee, Tom Rogers, said the Committee would review all ideas, suggestions and comments, and then release proposed division names and boundaries in early 2021.

“Carrying out regular reviews of federal divisions is essential to the maintenance of our fair, open and internationally admired Australian electoral system,” Mr Rogers said.

“It is particularly important this time around in Victoria because – in light of a recent determination based on fresh population figures – the state’s entitlement has risen from 38 to 39 House seats.

“The Committee is inviting people to put forward, in writing, their ideas about the names of federal divisions, where the boundaries should be, or both.”

To lodge suggestions or obtain more information, visit the AEC website’s special Victorian redistribution page.

Other avenues for submissions are:

• Email - Via our online form
• Fax – 02 6293 7664
• Post – Redistribution Committee for Victoria, Australian Electoral Commission, Locked Bag 4007, Canberra ACT 2601.

Editor’s notes:

• It is important to note that this is a federal process and is not related to the soon-to-start redivision of Victorian state divisions. Information on the latter can be found on the Electoral Boundaries Commission website.
• Enrolment and projected enrolment by electoral division, SA2 and SA1, together with explanatory material, is available on the AEC website. The SA1s used for this redistribution are those used for the 2016 Census.
• Further information about the redistribution process, including guidance on making submissions and guidelines for naming electoral divisions, is available on the AEC website.