Proposed federal electoral divisions for New South Wales released

The Redistribution Committee for New South Wales today published its report proposing names and boundaries for the state’s federal electoral divisions.

The Chair of the Committee and Electoral Commissioner, Tom Rogers, said the New South Wales redistribution was required to enable a decrease from 47 to 46 electoral divisions.

“Under the proposal some significant changes would occur, with the boundaries of New South Wales divisions being amended to accommodate the decrease,” Mr Rogers said.

“Forty-five of the existing 47 division names would be retained."

“The Division of North Sydney would be abolished and the basis for naming the Division of Cook would be expanded to acknowledge former Prime Minister Joseph Cook.”

YouTube: 2024 New South Wales redistribution proposal

Proposed boundaries

Mr Rogers said the Redistribution Committee had been faced with a situation where a New South Wales division had to be abolished and, as a consequence, 40 of the existing 47 divisions were outside the permissible numerical requirements.

The proposal would see:

• the abolition of the Division of North Sydney and transfer of electors to the surrounding Divisions of Bennelong, Bradfield, and Warringah, and
• the Division of Cook co-named for both the Rt Hon. Sir Joseph Cook GCMG PC (1860–1947), a former prime minister of Australia, and Captain James Cook FRS (1728–1779).

Mr Rogers said the Redistribution Committee had been faced with the task of removing an electoral division while also bringing all remaining 46 divisions within the allowable numerical tolerance.

         Map: Some of New South Wales' proposed federal electoral divisions

Joseph Cook

Joseph Cook was Prime Minister of Australia from 1913 to 1914 and a member of federal parliament from 1901 until 1921.

Objections

The consultative nature of the redistribution process continues, with individuals and organisations now able to lodge objections to the Redistribution Committee’s proposed divisions.

Written objections must be lodged no later than 6pm AEST on Friday 12 July 2024. The best way to lodge an objection is online. Objections can also be submitted via:

• Email – FedRedistribution-NSW@aec.gov.au
• Post – Australian Electoral Commission (Att: NSW Redistribution Secretariat), Locked Bag 4007, Canberra ACT 2601
• Suite 13.03, 59 Goulburn Street, Haymarket

All objections received by the deadline will be available for public inspection on the redistributions website and at the office of the Australian Electoral Officer for New South Wales in Haymarket (during business hours only) from Monday 15 July 2024. Further comments will then be accepted until 6pm AEST on Friday 26 July 2024.

Editor’s notes:

• For further details, including the factors considered by the Redistribution Committee for New South Wales, see the full redistribution proposal report and maps of the proposed electoral divisions.
• The proposed electorates for the Western Australian federal redistribution and Victorian federal redistribution have also been released. Information is also available about the Northern Territory redistribution
• Further information about the redistribution process and guidance on making submissions is also available.
• Members of the House of Representatives elected at the 2022 federal election, and in federal by-elections since that time, will continue to represent their respective electoral divisions until the next federal election.