From:	Jonathon Reynolds

Sent: To: Subject:

Attachments:

Friday, 5 August 201110:37 PM El ections
Objection to proposed  el ectoral boun dary distribution (as proposed  by
Augmented ACT Electoral Commission)
Fut u re Effects of Current Proposed  Distribution-2-2.pdf; ATI00001.htm; Ideal Long Term Model.pdf; ATI00002.htm

Augmented ACT Electoral Commission
ACT Electoral Commission
Ground Floor, North Building Civic Square, London Ci rcuit CANBERRA CITY2601

Dear Sir/Madam,

J  wish to lodge a objection with regard to portions of the ACT Electoral Boundary redistribution as proposed by the Augmented ACT Electoral Commission.
I general ly endorse the proposa l to modify the electoral  boundaries such that Gi1minderra becomes
the Seven Member Electorate, with Molonglo and Brindabella the Five Member Electorates. The basis of my objection is that the proposal does not go far enough to address the problem of splitting of "communities of interest"across electoral  boundaries with the potential impact that will occur at future redistributions.
With the current proposa l the suburbs of Lyneham, O'Connor  and Turner are to be removed from
Molonglo included in the Ginninde•Ta Electorate. Whilst this is an unfortunate spl itting of the North Canberra "community of interest" for the current red istribution, it can clearly be extrapolated, that with rap i d development  predominately in Gungahlin, these three suburbs shou l d be returned back to the Molonglo Electorate at the next redistribution as the number of voters in Ginninderra significantly increases. l endorse this current proposal.
Unfortunately no attempt has been made to address the underlying problem as it currently exists on
the Molonglo/Brindabella boundary with the suburbs of the Woden Valley District still to be split across two electorates.
In the Statement published by the Augmented ACT Electoral Commission  the following excuse was given for not attempting to address this issue:
"Given that cfle inclusion of Woden Valley suburbs in Brindabel/a has been a feature of the
Brindabella electorate since its inception. and given that the boundaries of existing e/ectoraces are a factor to be given weight under section 36 of tile Electoral Ace, li1e Augmented Commission was not satisfied that a case had been made for a/cering  the existing boundaries. Accordingly. the Augmented Commission decided to retain the BrindabeJJa­ Molonglo boundary uncilanged."
Given this approach it could be argued that the Augmented ACT Electora l  Commission intends to
perrnanently entrench the practice where the suburbs of the Woden Valley will be redistributed piecemeal to the Bri ndabella Electorate as needs to "balance the numbers"dictate.
The d iagram "Future effects of the currently proposed Electora l Boundary Model" attempts to illustrate this how this effect may p l ay out.

I argue that the Augmented ACT E lectoral Commissi on shou ld be adopting a l onger-tenn  approach to addressing the problem along the Molonglo!Brindabella boundary.

The diagram "Suggested  Ideal Target Electoral Boundary Distribution Model" attempts to illustrate a possibl e "pertect" electoral boundary scenario. Obviously, achieving perfection is a virtua l impossibility, as the actual  boundaries will need to be compliant with the relevant legislation at the lime.

The Augmented ACT E lectoral Commission has already noted that my previous proposal of transferring all Woden Valley suburbs to Molonglo and transferring the Weston Creek suburbs or Chapman, Fisher, Ri velt, Stirling and Waramanga (that is, those suburbs south of Hindmarsh Dri ve) from Molonglo to Brindabella would ensure that the Brindabella E lectorate is compliant with the relevant legislation for quota in October 2012.

My argument for this change based on my previous proposal as outlined above is now in part supported by demograph ic figures "ACT Suburbs and Districts Population Projections: 2009 to
202 1 " published on the ACT Government Chief Minister and Cabinet Web Page:
http://www.emd.act.!l:Ov.au/poI icvslrategic/actstats/pro jcct ions/suburbs

A casual examination of these figures show that there wi ll be a significant increase in popuJation for the Mol onglo District (immediately to the nonh of Weston Creek) Whereas the population of
Woden remains stable, and the populations of Weston Creek and Tuggeranong Districts show sl ight
decl ines over lime. With this proposed model as the Molonglo Electorate (includi ng all suburbs of the Woden Valley and Molonglo Districts) expands, more suburbs from Weston Creek wil l  be transferred to Brindabella, u ltimately with all suburbs of the Weston Creek District in the
Bri ndabella Electorate. Obviously the Augmented ACT Electoral Commission will have access to
resources to analyze these figures at a much finer detail in association  with relevant Land Release and development data.

I  trust that this information meets with the approval of the Augmented ACT E lectoral Commission and I look forward to favorable outcomes based on my submissions from your continued deliberation on this matter.

Yours fai th fully

Jonathon Reynolds

Future effects of
currently proposed Electoral Boundary Distribution Model

Suburbs redistributed back to
Molonglo as Ginninderra grows.

Woden Valley suburbs redistributed to Brindabella as other electorates generally grow.

Suggested Ideal Target
Electoral Boundary
Distribution Model

North Canberrra district suburbs
redistributed back to Molonglo

Woden Valley district suburbs redistributed back to Molonglo

Entire Weston Creek and
Stromlo districts redistributed
to Brindabella as entire districts