2023 redistribution

In preparation for the 19 October 2024 ACT Legislative Assembly election, the Electoral Act 1992 provides that a redistribution of ACT Legislative Assembly electorates must begin as soon as practicable 2 years before the date of an ACT election.

The redistribution will determine the boundaries and names for five electorates each with five members for the 2024 ACT Legislative Assembly election.

More information about the redistribution process is on the Redistribution fact sheet.

Step 1 - Appointment of the Redistribution Committee

The first step in the redistribution process is the appointment, by the ACT Electoral Commission, of a Redistribution Committee. The Redistribution Committee was appointed by the Commission on 24 October 2022.

The Redistribution Committee consists of the Electoral Commissioner, Damian Cantwell AM CSC; the planning and land authority, Mr Ben Ponton; the ACT Surveyor-General, Mr Greg Ledwidge; and the Director of Demography, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Ms Beidar Cho.

Step 2a - Call for public suggestions

Before the Redistribution Committee can make a proposal for new electoral boundaries, any interested persons or organisations who wish to make suggestions regarding the redistribution are given 28 days to forward suggestions to the Redistribution Committee.

The public suggestion phase of this redistribution process commenced on Wednesday, 1 February 2023 and closed on Tuesday, 28 February 2023.

Following the completion of the public suggestion period, all submitted responses were made available for viewing on this webpage (below) and at the office of the ACT Electoral Commission.

A 14 day period (1 March 2023 - 14 March 2023), in which comments on the suggestions can be lodged, commenced immediately following the conclusion of the suggestion period.

• Guidelines for submissions (PDF 1.9 MB)
• Current and projected electoral enrolment statistics (XLS 53 kB)
• Map of current electorate boundaries (PDF 1.4 MB)

Step 2b - List of public suggestions

The 28 day public suggestion period closed on 28 February 2023.

19 suggestions were received:

Organisations

Step 3 - Comments on public suggestions

Copies of all suggestions received by the Committee were made available for public inspection on the ACT Electoral Commission's website (above) and at the Electoral Commissioner’s office from 1 March 2023.

Written comments relating to those suggestions were due to be lodged with the Redistribution Committee by 14 March 2023. Five comments were received.

Individuals

Step 4 - The first proposed redistribution

Following consideration of the submissions, the Redistribution Committee published its proposed redistribution on 12 May 2023, setting out the proposed boundaries and names of the five ACT Legislative Assembly electorates.

The Redistribution Committee proposed that the five electorates for the ACT Legislative Assembly be as follows:

Brindabella, a five-Member electorate comprising the district of Tuggeranong and the districts of Booth, Cotter River, Paddy’s River, Rendezvous Creek, Tennent and Mount Clear;

Ginninderra, a five-Member electorate comprising the district of Belconnen (excluding the suburbs of Giralang and Kaleen);

Kurrajong, a five-Member electorate comprising the district of Canberra Central (excluding the localities of Deakin, Forrest, Red Hill and Yarralumla), and the districts of Jerrabomberra (including the entire suburb of Hume), Kowen and Majura;

Murrumbidgee, a five-Member electorate comprising the districts of Molonglo Valley, Weston Creek, Woden Valley, Coree (including the village of Uriarra) and Stromlo, and the Canberra Central localities of Deakin, Forrest, Red Hill and Yarralumla; and

Yerrabi, a five-Member electorate comprising the districts of Gungahlin and Hall and the Belconnen District suburbs of Giralang and Kaleen.

A notice inviting objections to the proposed boundaries was published in the Canberra Times on Friday, 12 May 2023.

Members of the public were then invited to make written objections to the proposal. Objections were required to be lodged with the Augmented Electoral Commission by 9 June 2023.

• Proposed redistribution report (PDF 2.9 MB)
• Proposed electorate boundary map (PDF 565.9 kB)
• Notifiable instrument

Step 5 - Objections to the proposed redistribution

Following the publication of the first proposed redistribution on 12 May 2023, there were 28 days within which initial objections or comments to the proposed redistribution could be lodged by members of the public or organisations.

The objection period closed on 9 June 2023.

Five objections were received:

Individuals

Step 6a - Public hearing into an Objection

The Electoral Act requires that the Augmented Electoral Commission hold a public hearing into an objection if the objection raises matters that were not raised in suggestions or comments given to the Redistribution Committee during earlier redistribution proceedings.

The Augmented Electoral Commission concluded that four of the five objections only raised matters (or substantially the same matters) that were raised in the public suggestions and comments given to the Redistribution Committee, and therefore did not require a public hearing.

However, the objection raised by Ms Susanne Tongue raised matters not previously raised in the public suggestions and comments, necessitating a public hearing into Ms Tongue's objection.

The public hearing was held in the Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG) Theatrette, 176 London Circuit, Canberra City on Thursday 17 August 2023.

Virtual or remote attendance by those making submissions and other members of the community was available.

In accordance with section 49 of the Electoral Act 1992, at the public hearing, submissions to the augmented commission were only to be made in relation to the objection submitted by Ms Susanne Tongue.

Step 6b - Objections considered by the Augmented Electoral Commission

The Augmented Electoral Commission decided to accept the electoral boundaries proposed by the ACT Redistribution Committee and not uphold any of the objections to the proposed redistribution.

In determining the most appropriate solution, the Commission considered all viable and logical options. This included analysing current and projected enrolment figures, reviewing each suggestion and comment received, and investigating each objection. After this comprehensive evaluation, the Augmented Electoral Commission decided to uphold the original proposal of the Redistribution Committee.

As the Augmented Commission accepted the proposal of the Redistribution Committee without change, the proposal of the Augmented Commission was not significantly different from the Redistribution Committee's proposal. Consequently, there were no further opportunities for public objections.

On Monday 11 September 2023, the Augmented Commission published a detailed statement of reasons for its decision to accept the proposed boundaries unchanged, including an examination of each of the objections to the proposed boundaries.

• Statement of reasons by the Augmented Electoral Commission (PDF 1.2 MB)
• Final map of ACT electorate boundaries (PDF 434.8 kB)

Step 7 - The second proposed redistribution

After it considered all the objections lodged, the Augmented Electoral Commission accepted the proposal of the Redistribution Committee without change. Consequently, no further opportunities for public objections were made available. The Augmented Commission formally completed the redistribution process by publishing of a notifiable instrument of determination (PDF 1.0 MB) under section 35 of the Electoral Act and will table a report in the Assembly concerning the redistribution.

Step 8 - Further objections

After it considered all the objections lodged, the Augmented Electoral Commission accepted the proposal of the Redistribution Committee without change. Consequently, there were no further opportunities for public objections.

Step 9 - Final determination

The Augmented Electoral Commission's final determination (1.0 MB) was notified on the ACT Legislation Register pm 14 September 2023. The final step in the process was to formally table the Redistribution report in the ACT Legislative Assembly. The Redistribution report (PDF 12.7 MB) was tabled by the Speaker in the Assembly on 24 October 2023.