The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (the Electoral Act) outlines the redistribution processes.
Why is Tasmania undergoing a redistribution?
Tasmania will undergo a redistribution as more than seven years have elapsed since the last redistribution was determined.
For a state, the Electoral Act specifies that a redistribution process should be undertaken in the following circumstances:
- the number of members of the House of Representatives to which a state is entitled has changed, or
- the number of electors in more than one-third of the electoral divisions in a state deviates from the average divisional enrolment by over 10 per cent for a period of more than two months, or
- a period of seven years has elapsed since the last redistribution process was determined.
On 15 November 2024, the Acting Electoral Commissioner announced the deferral of the redistribution of Tasmania’s five electoral divisions until after the House of Representatives in the 48th Parliament has met for the first time.
How many federal electoral divisions will there be after the redistribution?
Tasmania remains entitled to five federal electoral divisions.
Will the boundaries of the electoral divisions change?
Electoral divisions are required to fall within two numerical ranges:
- the number of electors enrolled in each federal electoral division on the determination date must be between minus 10 per cent and plus 10 per cent of the redistribution quota
- as far as practicable, the projected number of electors enrolled in each federal electoral division at the projection time would be between minus 3.5 per cent and plus 3.5 per cent of the projected enrolment quota.
Do all Tasmanian federal electoral divisions meet the requirement?
More information will be provided following the commencement of the redistribution.
Will the names of the current electoral divisions change?
The names of the current electoral divisions may or may not change.
Individuals and organisations can propose alternative names for electoral divisions at two stages of the redistribution process:
- the suggestions and comments on suggestions stage, and
- the objections and comments on objections stage.
The Redistribution Committee will consider input it receives in suggestions and comments on suggestions advocating a change of name for a federal electoral division. The Redistribution Committee will indicate in its proposed redistribution whether it has or has not proposed changing the name of a federal electoral division, together with reasons for the proposal.
Individuals and organisations can object to the Redistribution Committee's proposed names of federal electoral divisions. Objections may agree or disagree with the Redistribution Committee’s proposal. Input received in objections and comments on objections advocating a change of name for a federal electoral division will be considered by the augmented Electoral Commission for Tasmania. The augmented Electoral Commission for Tasmania is ultimately responsible for determining the names of the federal electoral divisions in Tasmania.
Information about the names of current federal electoral divisions in Tasmania
How do current electoral division names meet the guidelines for naming electoral divisions?
The Guidelines for naming federal electoral divisions were developed by the AEC from recommendations made by the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters in 1995 in its Report on the Effectiveness and Appropriateness of the Redistribution Provisions of Parts III and IV of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. These guidelines are non-binding but may be referred to by the Redistribution Committee for Tasmania or the augmented Electoral Commission for Tasmania to assist with decision making processes.
The extent to which the names of Tasmania’s current federal electoral divisions meet these guidelines is displayed below. The electoral divisions are sortable by clicking on the header row.
| Electoral division | Is the electoral division named for a prominent person? | Is the electoral division named for an Australian Prime Minister? | Is the electoral division name that of an original Federation electoral division? | Is the electoral division named for a geographical feature? | Is the electoral division named for an aboriginal person or word? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
|
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
|
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
|
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
|
Yes |
Yes (see note below) |
No |
No |
No |
Does Tasmania have Federation electoral divisions?
'Federation electoral divisions' have been interpreted in two ways.
One interpretation is that Federation electoral divisions are those which were in place for the first federal election held in 1901. However, for the first federal elections in 1901, Tasmania was not divided into electoral divisions. At the 1901 elections, Tasmania voted as one electoral division and members of the House of Representatives were elected for Tasmania. On this interpretation, 'Tasmania' would be the Federation electoral division.
Tasmania was divided into five electoral divisions prior to the second federal election in 1903, including the Divisions of Bass, Denison and Franklin. The second interpretation is that because these electoral divisions were defined and named before the second federal election, they are original federation electoral divisions in Tasmania and it would be against the spirit of the guidelines to change these names without very strong reasons.
Is the Division of Lyons named for an Australian Prime Minister?
Yes, it is named to acknowledge the Rt Hon Joseph Lyons CH who was Prime Minister from 6 February 1932 to 7 April 1939. The electoral division is also named to acknowledge Dame Enid Lyons DGBE(C) AD who was the first woman member of the House of Representatives as the Member for Darwin in Tasmania and the first woman member of a federal Cabinet.
The joint naming of an electoral division is not common. As at 15 November 2024, only 10 of 150 electoral divisions were named to acknowledge more than one person.
Origins of name
The Division of Bass is named for Dr George Bass (1771–1803). Bass was a surgeon, scientist and explorer and one of those responsible for the early geographical investigation of the Australian coast. Bass’ explorations included the islands in Bass Strait, the Tamar estuary, the Derwent estuary and Mount Wellington.
Creation of electoral division
The electoral division was created on 2 October 1903 and was first represented in 1903.
More information
Biographical information about Dr George Bass from the Australian Dictionary of Biography
Origins of name
The Division of Braddon is named for Sir Edward Nicholas Coventry Braddon KCMG (1829–1904), who was an active member of the Constitutional Conventions that led to the Commonwealth of Australia. Between 1901 and 1904 Sir Edward Braddon was elected as one of the first Members of the House of Representatives as a member for Tasmania and later for the Division of Wilmot. Prior to this, Sir Edward Braddon served as Agent-General for Tasmania and was a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly and Premier of Tasmania.
Creation of electoral division
The electoral division was created on 30 August 1955 and was first represented in 1955.
More information
Biographical information about Sir Edward Braddon from the Australian Dictionary of Biography and the Companion to Tasmanian History
Origins of name
The Division of Clark is named for Andrew Inglis Clark (1848–1907), in recognition of his contributions to the political and legal systems which have had a lasting and perpetual impact on Australia through his involvement with Federation and the development of the Australian Constitution.
Creation of electoral division
The electoral division was created on 14 November 2017 and was first represented in 2019.
More information
Biographical information about Andrew Inglis Clark from the Australian Dictionary of Biography and the Companion to Tasmanian History
Origins of name
The Division of Franklin takes its name from Sir John Franklin (1786–1847), Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen’s Land (1837–43), in recognition of his service to the colony.
Creation of electoral division
The electoral division was created on 2 October 1903 and was first represented in 1903.
More information
Biographical information about Sir John Franklin from the Australian Dictionary of Biography and the Companion to Tasmanian History
Origins of name
The Division of Lyons is jointly named:
- the Rt Hon Joseph Lyons CH (1879–1939), Prime Minister of Australia (1932–39) and a Member of the House of Representatives (1929–39), and
- Dame Enid Muriel Lyons DGBE(C) AD (1897–1981), first woman member of the House of Representatives (1943-51) and first woman of a federal Cabinet as Vice-President of the Executive Council (1949–51)
Creation of electoral division
The electoral division was created on 12 September 1984 and was first represented in 1984.
More information
Biographical information about Joseph Lyons from the Australian Dictionary of
Biography and the Companion
to Tasmanian
History
Biographical information about Dame Enid Lyons from the Australian Dictionary of
Biography and
the Companion
to
Tasmanian History
Lyons is one of the 10 federal electoral divisions named to jointly
acknowledge more
than one person.
When will the redistribution come into effect?
Changes to federal electoral divisions as a result of this redistribution will apply from the day on which a notice of determination is published in the Commonwealth Notices Government Gazette.
Information on when this redistribution will be determined will be published once the redistribution has commenced. Commencement is expected following the next federal election.
Electoral events will not be contested on these new federal electoral divisions until a writ is issued for a general election following the expiry or dissolution of the House of Representatives.
ON THIS PAGE
- Why is Tasmania undergoing a redistribution?
- How many federal electoral divisions will there be after the redistribution?
- Will the boundaries of the electoral divisions change?
- Do all Tasmanian federal electoral divisions meet the requirement?
- Will the names of the current electoral divisions change?
- Information about the names of current federal electoral divisions in Tasmania
- When will the redistribution come into effect?