QUEENSLAND STATE REDISTRIBUTION

The Electoral Act 1992 requires the Queensland Redistribution Commission, when the need arises, to redistribute the State into 89 electoral districts.
The need for a redistribution has arisen.

The Commission is comprised of

• Hon. Alan Demack AO (Chairperson);
• Mr. David Kerslake, Electoral Commissioner ;
• Ms Rachel Hunter, Director-General, Department of Education and the Arts

In accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 1992, the Commission invited suggestions on the redistribution from interested organisations and individuals. Twenty-four written suggestions were received by the closing date.

The Commission then invited comments on the suggestions. The Commission received 145 comments on submissions by the closing date.

Written suggestions on the redistributions Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4
Written comments on suggestions Part 1 and Part 2
Public Comments on Suggestions Report
Public Objections to the Proposed Redistribution
Comments on Public Objections

The Redistribution Process

The Electoral Act 1992 outlines the following steps involved in the conduct of the redistribution:

• inviting suggestions (section 42);
• inviting comments on the suggestions (section 43);
• preparing a proposed electoral redistribution (section 44);
• publishing the proposed electoral redistribution (section 47);
• inviting submissions on the proposed electoral redistribution (section 48);
• inviting comments on submissions (section 49) ;
• considering the submissions (section 50);
• making the electoral redistribution (section 51);
• advertising the electoral redistribution (section 53);
• tabling all relevant documents in State Parliament (section 54); and
• appeals against boundaries and electoral districts (section 57).

Redistribution Criteria

Section 46 of the Act requires that, in preparing the proposed redistribution, the Commission must consider the following matters -

1. The extent to which there is a community of economic, social, regional or other interests within each proposed electoral district;
2. The ways of communication and travel within each proposed electoral district;
3. The physical features of each proposed electoral district;
4. The boundaries of existing electoral districts;
5. Demographic trends in the State, with a view to ensuring as far as practicable that, on the basis of the trends, the need for another electoral redistribution will not arise under section 36 before it does under section 38.

The Commission may also consider the boundaries of local government areas to the extent that it is satisfied that there is a community of economic, social, regional or other interests within each local government area.

Section 45 of the Act requires that the redistribution must be within numerical limits:

1. Electoral district area less than 100,000 km2
   • number of enrolled electors does not differ from the average number of enrolled electors for electoral districts by more than 10%.
2. Electoral district area greater than 100,000 km2
   • the sum of number of enrolled electors and the additional large district number (2% of the number of km2 in the area) does not differ from the average number of enrolled electors for electoral districts by more than 10%.

In accordance with section 45(1) of the Act, the Commission has determined the quota, for the purposes of the proposed redistribution, at the end of the period for the lodging of comments on the suggestions. The quota is 29,560.