House of Representatives Committees

Appendix F – Indicative House of Representatives division allocation

 

 

Indicative House of Representatives division allocation if the Northern Territory were granted two additional Senators upon statehood

The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 outlines the following formula to determine the number of members in the House of Representatives:

The table F.1 below shows the calculation by the Commonwealth Electoral Commissioner of the November 2005 quota determination using the Commonwealth population (excluding the territories) and the number of Senators from the states. Table F.2 uses the population of the states including the population of the Northern Territory and the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and the number of Senators from the states including four from the Northern Territory.

Table F.1 November 2005 quota determination (excluding the territories)

Number of people of the Commonwealth

=

19 752 065

Twice the number of Senators from the states

=

144

Quota

=

137 167.1181

Table F.2 November 2005 quota determination

(including the NT population in the national population and four Senators from the NT)

Number of people of the Commonwealth

=

19 959 149

Twice the number of Senators from the states

(74 Senators from the original states, plus 4 Senators from the new State, time 2)

=

 

152

 

Quota

=

131 310.1908

Table F.3 below compares the outcome of the 2005 electoral determination and the impact of two additional Senators from the Northern Territory (if it were counted as a state), with the 2003 determination. The table indicates that, if the Northern Territory gained two additional Senators following statehood, redistributions may be required to create two additional electoral divisions in New South Wales , and one additional electoral division each in Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, based on 2005 population data. Moreover, if the Northern Territory and Commonwealth Governments negotiated a minimum of five MPs from the Territory following statehood (the minimum for original states), a further three electoral divisions would need to be created in the Northern Territory. In sum, an additional two Senators from the Northern Territory upon statehood may require the creation of five or eight new electoral divisions.

Note that table F.3 provides an indicative assessment only. The actual implications for the House of Representatives of two additional Senators from the Northern Territory would differ to that shown in the table according to the agreed terms and conditions of statehood and the national and state populations at the time of the determination following a grant of statehood.

Table F.3 Potential implication of two additional Northern Territory Senators on House of Representatives electoral divisions3

State/Territory

Population

Result

(population divided by 2005 quota

137 167.1181)

Number of Members to be chosen

Change

(from 2003 deter-mination)

Result (population divided by quota, NT treated as a state

131 310.1908)

Number of Members to be chosen

Change

(from 2003 deter-mination)

New South Wales

6 764 690

49.3171

49

-1

51.5169

52

+ 2

Victoria

5 012 689

36.5444

37

-

38.1744

38

+ 1

Queensland

3 945 940

28.7674

29

+1

30.0505

30

+ 1

Western Australia

2 003 778

14.6083

15

-

15.2599

15

-

South Australia

1 540 223

11.2288

11

-

11.7297

12

+ 1

Tasmania4

484 745

3.5340

5

-

3.6916

5

-

Australian Capital Territory

325 790

2.3751

2

-

2.4811

2

-

Northern Territory5

206 492

1.5054

2

-

1.5726

5

+ 3

 


Footnotes

1 In 1977, the High Court ruled that the four Senators from the NT and ACT could not be used for calculating the number of Members of the House under the nexus provision in the Constitution. See Queensland v. The Commonwealth 1977 HCA 60; 139 CLR 585. Back
2 S. Bennett & G. Newman, ‘A Fair Deal for Territory Voters?’ Parliamentary Library Research Note No. 27, 2003, p. 1. Back
3 The table uses population and 2005 quota data from Australian Electoral Commission, Redistribution Backgrounder, ‘Why is a redistribution undertaken?’, pp. 1 – 2 & 4. Back
4 Section 24 of the Constitution guarantees each original state a minimum of five MPs. Back
5 Assumes that the NT is guaranteed a minimum of five MPs in accordance with s. 24 of the Constitution. This would be subject to negotiation between the NT and Commonwealth Governments. Back
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