Augmented Electoral Commission decides names and boundaries of federal electoral divisions in the Australian Capital Territory

The augmented Electoral Commission for the Australian Capital Territory today announced the outcome of its deliberations on the names and boundaries of the two federal electoral divisions in the ACT.

The Hon. Dennis Cowdroy OAM QC, the presiding member, thanked the individuals and organisations who contributed to the redistribution of the ACT by contributing written submissions throughout the redistribution process or participating in the inquiry on 2 November 2015.

"After a thorough consideration of these contributions, the augmented Electoral Commission has adopted the redistribution proposed by the Redistribution Committee for the ACT without change," Mr Cowdroy said.

The full proposal was detailed in the Committee's report of 11 September 2015. In accepting the Redistribution Committee's proposed redistribution, the augmented Electoral Commission have proposed that:

• The southern electoral division will be named the Division of Canberra. The proposed Division of Canberra will encompass:
  • all of the ACT located to the south of the Murrumbidgee River, Lake Burley Griffin and the Molonglo River;
  • Acton, Black Mountain Nature Reserve, Campbell, City, Reid and Russell;
  • the parts of Barton and Parkes situated to the north of Lake Burley Griffin;
  • the part of the District of Molonglo Valley situated to the north of the Molonglo River and Lake Burley Griffin; and
  • parts of Braddon, Turner, Pialligo and the District of Majura.
• The northern electoral division will be named the Division of Fenner, in honour of the distinguished scientist Professor Frank Fenner AC, CMG, MBE, FAA, FRS, FRACP, FRCP. The augmented Electoral Commission proposes to locate the Jervis Bay Territory in this electoral division.

The augmented Electoral Commission noted objections to the proposed name of the northern electoral division. Following consideration of these objections, the augmented Electoral Commission:

• determined the name 'Fraser' should be retired in the ACT to provide the option of naming a Victorian electoral division after the former Prime Minister, the Rt Hon. John Malcolm Fraser AC CH, in the future;
  • (The Guidelines for naming federal electoral divisions note that consideration should be given to naming electoral divisions after former Prime Ministers.)
• noted the achievements of James Fraser, after whom the electoral division has been named since 1974, are reflected in the naming of an ACT suburb in his honour and his inclusion in the ACT Honour Walk; and
• determined it is not appropriate to co-name the electoral division.

A full overview of the augmented Electoral Commission's conclusions on objections to the Redistribution Committee's proposed redistribution is available at www.aec.gov.au/ACT-redistribution.

The augmented Electoral Commission notes this proposal is not significantly different from the proposal of the Redistribution Committee. Therefore, the names and boundaries of the federal electoral divisions for the ACT will apply from 28 January 2016 when a notice of determination is published in the Commonwealth Government Notices Gazette. Federal general elections for which the writ is issued after this date will be contested on the new boundaries.

Overview maps will be available on the AEC website on 28 January 2016. Detailed maps and a report outlining the augmented Electoral Commission's reasons for the formal determination will be tabled in the Federal Parliament and will subsequently be made publicly available.

More information about the Australian Capital Territory federal redistribution is available on the AEC website or you can contact the Redistribution Secretariat:

• Email: FedRedistribution-ACT@aec.gov.au
• Telephone: 02 6271 4672

Editors' notes:

A Redistribution Committee is appointed for the state or territory in which a redistribution has commenced.

The Redistribution Committee for the Australian Capital Territory consisted of:

• the Electoral Commissioner,
• the senior Divisional Returning Officer for the Australian Capital Territory,
• the Surveyor-General of the Australian Capital Territory, and
• the Australian Capital Territory Auditor-General.

The Redistribution Committee is responsible for considering inputs from the public and making a proposed redistribution.

The augmented Electoral Commission considers any objections to the proposed redistribution and makes a final determination of the names and boundaries of the redistributed divisions. The augmented Electoral Commission for the Australian Capital Territory consists of:

• the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission,
• the non-judicial member of the Electoral Commission, currently the Australian Statistician,
• the Electoral Commissioner,
• the senior Divisional Returning Officer for the Australian Capital Territory,
• the Surveyor-General of the Australian Capital Territory, and
• the Auditor-General for the Australian Capital Territory.