[2249] Queensland Government Gazette Extraordinary PP 451207100087 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY ISSN 0155-9370 Vol. 348] Wednesday 20 August 2008 [No. 111 Electoral Act 1992 QUEENSLAND REDISTRIBUTION COMMISSION NOTIFICATION UNDER SECTION 51(1) OF THE ELECTORAL ACT 1992 DETERMINATION OF QUEENSLAND LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ELECTORAL DISTRICTS Pursuant to section 51(1) of the Electoral Act 1992, the Queensland Redistribution Commission has redistributed Queensland into 89 electoral districts whose names and boundaries are set out in this notice. As required by section 53(2)(b)(ii) of the Act, the Commission’s reasons for redistributing the State in this way are also set out in this notice. 22502 QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT GAZETTE No. 11100 [20 August 2008 20 August 2008] QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT GAZETTE No. 00 3 Electoral Act 1992 INTRODUCTION Queensland’s Parliamentary democracy is based on the principle of equal representation, or ‘one vote-one value’. Accordingly, the Electoral Act 1992 (“the Act”) provides for the periodic review of State electoral boundaries to ensure that, as far as practicable, there is the same number of electors in each electoral district (otherwise referred to in the text as ‘electorates’). Part 3 of the Act sets out how such reviews are to be conducted. Section 7 provides for the establishment of an independent Queensland Redistribution Commission (‘the Commission’), constituted of: • A judge or former judge of a court of the Commonwealth or a State or Territory (as chairperson); • The chief executive of a government department; and • The Electoral Commissioner. The members of the Commission for the 2008 Redistribution were: • The Hon. Alan Demack, AO, a retired judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland – Chairperson; • Ms Rachel Hunter, Director-General, Department of Education Training and the Arts; and • Mr David Kerslake, Electoral Commissioner for Queensland This booklet sets out the revised electoral districts that have been adopted by the Commission for the State of Queensland. It also contains an outline of the legislative criteria governing the redistribution process and the reasons for the Commission’s decisions. In accordance with section 52 of the Act, these boundaries will apply for each State election until the next redistribution. For ease of reference, where the Commission has changed the names of certain proposed electoral districts in response to public comment, those districts are referred to in the text by the new name, with the previously proposed name in brackets. In some cases the Commission has altered proposed boundaries following consideration of objections received. Where this is the case, the changes are noted in the section entitled Changes to the Commission’s Draft Proposals under the main heading REASONS FOR THE REDISTRIBUTION. The Quota To assist in ensuring an equal number of enrolled electors in each electoral district, the Act requires the Commission to determine an enrolment quota for the State as a whole. The quota, or ‘average number of electors’, is determined by dividing the total number of people on the electoral roll across Queensland by the total number of electoral districts (89 in all). In accordance with the Act, this process took place at the conclusion of the period prescribed for lodging suggestions and comments which occurred on 17 December 2007. The quota thus arrived at, for the purposes of the 2008 Redistribution, is 29,560. 2 QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT GAZETTE No. 00 [20 August 2008 20 August 2008] QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT GAZETTE No. 00111 22513 2 Electoral Act 1992 As a general rule, the number of electors in each of the proposed electorates should correspond as closely as possible to this number. The Act recognises, however, that such precision is not always practicable and authorises the Commission to deviate from the quota by a maximum of 10% above or below. For the 2008 Redistribution, this resulted in a minimum of 26,604 and a maximum of 32,516 electors required for each electoral district. Since it is desirable for electorates to be of a manageable geographic size, the Act also prescribes a special ‘weightage’ formula for large electorates. For electoral districts that exceed 100,000km2 in area, a figure equal to 2% of the total area of the electoral district is added to the actual number of electors enrolled in that district. For example, an electoral district 250,000km2 in area would have 5,000 (i.e.: 2% of 250,000 km2) ‘notional’ electors added to its actual number of electors. This adjusted figure (the total number of actual and notional electors) must fall within the margin of tolerance prescribed by the Act, that is, be no more than 10% above or below the quota. Other Criteria Subject to the overriding numerical requirements, the Commission is required to take into account a number of other elements that may be indicative of desirable electoral boundaries. These criteria, set down in Section 46(1), are: (a) the extent to which there is a community of economic, social, regional or other interests within each proposed electoral district; (b) the ways of communication and travel within each proposed electoral district; (c) the physical features of each proposed electoral district; (d) the boundaries of existing electoral districts; and (e) 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 before the time stipulated by s.38 of the Act. Electoral Mapping System To assist with the redistribution, the Commission used a computerised mapping system which contains useful demographic and topographic data. The system is based upon Census Collector Districts (CCDs), small geographical units used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in the conduct of the five yearly census. Although the CCDs are based on actual population figures, by overlaying enrolment data the Commission is able to use them to indicate the actual and projected number of electors as each electoral district is compiled. Enrolment activity associated with the 2007 Federal Election meant that the Commission had available to it the most up to date enrolment information. The Commission also had available to it population forecasting information from the Department of Infrastructure and Planning to assist in estimating likely levels of future growth in elector numbers across Queensland. 22522 QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT GAZETTE No. 11100 [20 August 2008 20 August 2008] QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT GAZETTE No. 00 3 3 Electoral Act 1992 The mapping system used by the Commission contains other comprehensive information, such as transport networks, rivers, existing State and Local Government electoral boundaries and even the boundaries of individual properties. Public submissions can be mapped and loaded onto the system to assist the Commission in its deliberations. The Commission did not rely exclusively on this mapping system, however, spending a considerable amount of time visiting different parts of the State to view possible boundaries at first hand. Public Input Extensive opportunities were provided for public input throughout the redistribution process. The first step required was for the Commission to invite suggestions from interested persons and organisations regarding the electoral boundaries and names of proposed electorates. State-wide advertising took place on Friday, 12 October 2007. A total of 24 written suggestions were received. These suggestions were made available for public inspection and 149 comments on the suggestions were received. All of the suggestions and comments were taken into account in formulating a set of proposed electoral boundaries for the State. On 23 May 2008 and as required by the Act, the Commission gave notice of its proposals in the Queensland Government Gazette and in newspapers circulating State-wide. The notices were accompanied by maps showing the proposed boundaries and names of each electoral district, detailed descriptions and the reasons for redividing the boundaries in the way proposed, as well as advising of the availability of more detailed information for public inspection. The period allowed for objections closed at 5.00 pm on Monday, 23 June 2008. On Friday 4 July 2008 the Commission made all of the objections received available for public inspection. Copies were available at the Electoral Commission of Queensland, on its Website and at various public libraries across Queensland and selected post offices. Advertisements were also placed in various newspapers across Queensland. In accordance with the Act, a period of 10 days was allowed for written comment on the objections, with a deadline of 5.00 pm on Monday, 14 July 2008. 58 written comments were received and taken into account along with the objections. The Commission unanimously adopted its final report at a meeting on Thursday, 24 July 2008, within the time period prescribed by the Act. A copy of this report, inclusive of reasons and copies of all submissions and objections received, has been forwarded to the Honourable the Attorney-General, who must table the report in Parliament within 5 sitting days. A notice setting out the Commission’s final determination will be published in the Government Gazette. At the end of 21 days after the publication of that notice (but subject to the determination of any court appeal) the State is formally redistributed into the electoral districts, and those districts have the names, set out herein. These electoral boundaries will remain in force until