The augmented Electoral Commission's proposed electoral divisions

Name of proposed electoral division	Boundaries of proposed electoral division
Lingiari	As proposed by the Redistribution Committee for the Northern Territory
Solomon	As proposed by the Redistribution Committee for the Northern Territory

Detailed information about the make-up of the Redistribution Committee’s proposed electoral divisions can be found in Chapter 2 and Appendix K of the Redistribution Committee’s report of 18 October 2024.

Maps of the Redistribution Committee’s proposed electoral divisions are also available.

The augmented Electoral Commission's conclusion on objections

The augmented Electoral Commission is required by sub-section 72(1) of the Electoral Act to consider all objections to the proposed redistribution and comments on objections which were received by the required specified lodgement times.

No objections to the proposed redistribution were received. As a result, neither comments on objections nor an inquiry into objections were required.

The augmented Electoral Commission has considered the Redistributions Committee’s proposal in the context of the requirements of the Electoral Act.

• The augmented Electoral Commission's conclusions relating to the names of electoral divisions in the Northern Territory
• The augmented Electoral Commission's conclusions relating to the placement of electoral divisions and divisional boundaries

The augmented Electoral Commission's conclusions relating to the names of electoral divisions in the Northern Territory

The Redistribution Committee’s proposed redistribution: The Redistribution Committee proposed retaining the names of the Division of Lingiari and the Division of Solomon.

The augmented Electoral Commission’s conclusions: The augmented Electoral Commission noted that the Guidelines for naming federal electoral divisions state that the names of electoral divisions should not be changed or transferred to new areas without very strong reasons. Any decision to alter the name of an electoral division is therefore one which is not taken lightly.

The augmented Electoral Commission observed that, with the absence of objections to the proposed redistribution presenting arguments to re-name an electoral division or offering alternative names, strong reasons to change the name ‘Lingiari’ or ‘Solomon’ have not been provided at this time.

The augmented Electoral Commission therefore concluded the Redistribution Committee's proposal should stand unchanged.

The augmented Electoral Commission proposes that the two Northern Territory electoral divisions will continue to be known as the Divisions of Lingiari and Solomon.

The augmented Electoral Commission's conclusions relating to the placement of electoral divisions and divisional boundaries

• The boundary between the proposed Division of Lingiari and the proposed Division of Solomon
• The electoral division in which to locate the Territory of Christmas Island and the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

The boundary between the proposed Division of Lingiari and the proposed Division of Solomon

The Redistribution Committee’s proposed redistribution: The Redistribution Committee proposed moving the suburbs of Farrar, Johnston, Mitchell, Zuccoli and part of the suburb of Yarrawonga from the Division of Lingiari to the proposed Division of Solomon.

Moving these suburbs would:

• unite the City of Palmerston into the Division of Solomon,
• keep together and improve existing communities of interest, as represented by local government areas, and
• use strong and readily identifiable features as electoral division boundaries.

The augmented Electoral Commission’s conclusions: The augmented Electoral Commission noted that, in order to meet the numerical constraints of the Electoral Act, the Division of Lingiari was required to lose electors and the Division of Solomon to gain electors.

The augmented Electoral Commission considered several alternative solutions to the Redistribution Committee’s proposed redistribution, including:

• transferring part of the suburb of Holtze to the proposed Division of Solomon, and
• transferring the suburb of Lees Point to the proposed Division of Lingiari, in addition to uniting the City of Palmerston in the proposed Division of Solomon.

In deciding against adopting an alternative solution, the augmented Electoral Commission considered there was a degree of uncertainty as to the level to which the number of electors in any of these alternative solutions would grow. The augmented Electoral Commission was concerned that adopting an alternative solution could lead to a risk of the Divisions of Lingiari and Solomon falling outside of the numerical constraints in the near future. Further alterations in addition to those proposed by the Redistribution Committee were therefore not required.

The augmented Electoral Commission agreed with the Redistribution Committee that uniting the City of Palmerston entirely within the Division of Solomon created easily identifiable and strong electoral division boundaries. In reaching this decision, the augmented Electoral Commission noted the suburbs of Farrar, Johnston, Mitchell, Zuccoli and Yarrawonga have strong social connections with the other suburbs within the City of Palmerston and making these changes enable the two numerical constraints of the Electoral Act to be met.

The augmented Electoral Commission concluded that:

• any adjustments to accommodate alternative boundaries within the requirements of the Electoral Act would not result in an improved redistribution at this time,
• the Redistribution Committee's proposal was sound, and
• for these reasons, the Redistribution Committee's proposal should stand unchanged.

The suburbs of Farrar, Johnston, Mitchell, Zuccoli and part of the suburb of Yarrawonga will be located in the proposed Division of Solomon.

The electoral division in which to locate the Territory of Christmas Island and the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

The Redistribution Committee’s proposed redistribution: The Redistribution Committee proposed retaining the Territory of Christmas Island and the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Division of Lingiari.

Section 56A of the Electoral Act requires that until such time as the Territory of Christmas Island and the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands are entitled to choose a member of the House of Representatives at a general election, the two territories are to be included in the same electoral division of the Northern Territory.

At the most recent determination of entitlement to members of the House of Representatives on Thursday 27 July 2023, the Electoral Commissioner determined that the Territory of Christmas Island and the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands were not entitled to members in their own right.

The augmented Electoral Commission’s conclusions: The augmented Electoral Commission observed that in order to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, it is required to locate the two territories together in the same Northern Territory electoral division.

The augmented Electoral Commission further observed that while the two territories could be transferred from the proposed Division of Lingiari to the proposed Division of Solomon, doing so would require additional changes to be made to the boundary between the two electoral divisions to ensure the two numerical constraints of the Electoral Act would continue to be met.

The augmented Electoral Commission concluded that:

• any adjustments to accommodate changes within the requirements of the Electoral Act would not result in an improved redistribution at this time,
• the Redistribution Committee’s proposal was sound, and
• for these reasons, the Redistribution Committee’s proposal should stand unchanged.

The augmented Electoral Commission proposes the Territory of Christmas Island and the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands will continue to be part of the proposed Division of Lingiari.