The public consultation process for the redistribution of the ACT Legislative Assembly’s electoral boundaries will officially commence tomorrow with a call for public submissions, the ACT Electoral Commissioner, Mr Damian Cantwell AM CSC said today.

The ACT Legislative Assembly’s electoral boundaries are to be redrawn in preparation for the 19 October 2024 election.

The ACT Legislative Assembly currently consists of 25 Members elected in five electorates, with five Members representing each of the electorates of Brindabella, Ginninderra, Kurrajong, Murrumbidgee and Yerrabi.

“The ACT Redistribution Committee is publishing an official notice tomorrow inviting suggestions for boundaries and names for the ACT’s electorates.  A copy of the notice will appear in the Canberra Times”, Mr Cantwell said.

Any interested persons or organisations have until 28 February 2023 to make suggestions to the Redistribution Committee.  Those suggestions will then be made available for public comment from 1 March 2023 until 14 March 2023.

After considering the public submissions, the Redistribution Committee will publish a proposed redistribution of the ACT into five electorates in mid-2023.  People will then have 28 days in which to object to the proposed boundaries.

The Redistribution Committee consists of the Electoral Commissioner, Damian Cantwell AM CSC; the ACT 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.

One key requirement for the redistribution will be ensuring that electoral enrolments in each electorate will be within +/- 5% of the quota at the time of the next election.  The quota for each electorate is 1/5 of the ACT total enrolment.

When redrawing the electoral boundaries, the Redistribution Committee is also required to take account of the community of interests, including economic, social and regional interests; means of communication and travel; the physical features and area of each proposed electorate; the boundaries of existing electorates; and the boundaries of suburban divisions and sections.

The ACT Electoral Commission provides a graphical boundary mapping tool on their website to allow users to define and submit their electorate boundaries and name suggestions online. This is the Redistribution Committee’s preferred method for receiving submissions, however electronic or hardcopy written submissions may also be lodged with the Electoral Commission.

Complete electoral enrolment statistics and further detailed information is available from the ACT Electoral Commission’s website at www.elections.act.gov.au and from its office at the Nara Centre, 3 Constitution Avenue, Canberra City.