The Commissioners

Under the Electoral Act 1992, the Queensland Redistribution Commission consists of:

  • a judge or former judge of a court of the Commonwealth or a State or Territory (chairperson)
  • the chief executive of a Queensland Government department (or equivalent), and
  • the Electoral Commissioner of Queensland.

The chairperson and chief executive member of the Queensland Redistribution Commission are appointed by the Governor in Council after consultation with leaders of political parties recognised in the Parliament and the relevant parliamentary committee. The Electoral Commissioner is automatically a member of the Commission.

The appointments of the chairperson and chief executive member were notified in the Queensland Government Gazette on 24 April 2024.

Membership of the Queensland Redistribution Commission

Chairperson - Gregory Koppenol, retired Judge of the District Court

Mr Koppenol began his legal career at the Public Trust Office before commencing practice as a barrister in Queensland. He specialised in native title and related fields, appearing as counsel in notable cases including Mabo (No 2) and Wik.

In 1999, Mr Koppenol was appointed as president of the Land and Resources Tribunal and served as a member of the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department Native Title Practitioners' Panel.

He served as a part-time member of the Land Court of Queensland from 2004 to 2007 before serving as a judge of the District Court of Queensland from 2007 to 2020.

Mr Koppenol was appointed as a commissioner and chairperson of the Queensland Redistribution Commission on 17 April 2025.

Commissioner - John Sosso, Director-General, Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning

Mr Sosso is a long-serving Queensland and Commonwealth public servant and is currently the Director-General of the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning.

Mr Sosso has served in senior roles in the Department of Justice, Department of Consumers Affairs, Department of Emergency Services and as Deputy Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. As a Member and Deputy President of the National Native Title Tribunal between 2000 and 2012 he mediated, arbitrated and negotiated native title claims and litigation throughout Australia.

Between 2012 and 2015 he was the Director-General of the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General and then was Deputy President of the Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

Mr Sosso was appointed as a commissioner of the Queensland Redistribution Commission on 17 April 2025.

Commissioner - Patrick Vidgen PSM, Electoral Commissioner of Queensland

Pat Vidgen PSM was appointed Electoral Commissioner of Queensland on 7 September 2018.

Mr Vidgen has a wealth of senior public sector management experience spanning three decades in diverse management roles in Queensland government departments and statutory bodies.

Mr Vidgen has previously held roles as Deputy Director-General and Chief Operating Officer in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Deputy Chief Executive Officer in the Public Safety Business Agency and General Manager in the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation.