❓ Hon Neil Thomson questions the WA Electoral Commission about under-enrolment in regional areas compared to metropolitan areas, particularly in light of the Voice referendum and upcoming boundary changes. The parliamentary secretary responds that the Commission is aware of varying enrolment trends but denies uniform systemic under-enrolment, citing the Electoral Act 1907 regarding boundary determination.
AnsweredQoN 1009Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ELECTORAL ENROLMENT
1009. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the parliamentary secretary representing the
Minister for Electoral Affairs:
I refer to the answer to question
without notice 970 asked on 31 August and note the systemic under-enrolment in
regional areas when assessing enrolment rates as a proportion of census data.
(1) Is Electoral
Boundaries WA or the Western Australian Electoral Commission aware of the
significantly wider than average gap between enrolment and adult population of
regional districts when compared with metropolitan districts, which I referred
to as structural under-enrolment but might better be described as systemic
under-enrolment in regional areas?
(2) Has Electoral Boundaries WA or the WA Electoral
Commission undertaken an analysis of the reasons for this?
(3) Given the
claims of increased enrolment in the lead-up to the Voice referendum, is there
any statutory reason for Electoral Boundaries WA not updating its enrolment
dataset before finalising the proposed regional boundaries?
1009. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the parliamentary secretary representing the
Minister for Electoral Affairs:
I refer to the answer to question
without notice 970 asked on 31 August and note the systemic under-enrolment in
regional areas when assessing enrolment rates as a proportion of census data.
(1) Is Electoral
Boundaries WA or the Western Australian Electoral Commission aware of the
significantly wider than average gap between enrolment and adult population of
regional districts when compared with metropolitan districts, which I referred
to as structural under-enrolment but might better be described as systemic
under-enrolment in regional areas?
(2) Has Electoral Boundaries WA or the WA Electoral
Commission undertaken an analysis of the reasons for this?
(3) Given the
claims of increased enrolment in the lead-up to the Voice referendum, is there
any statutory reason for Electoral Boundaries WA not updating its enrolment
dataset before finalising the proposed regional boundaries?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice
of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by the Minister
for Electoral Affairs, whom, for the member's future reference, I represent.
(1)–(2) The
Western Australian Electoral Commission—along with its joint electoral
roll partner, the Australian Electoral Commission—is always studying
enrolment rates across the state. It is conscious of varying enrolment trends
in regional districts across Western Australia, including areas of sustained
population growth and decline. There is no uniform systemic under-enrolment in
regional areas. The issues and reasons for varying enrolment across all
electoral districts varies based on some common factors, as well as the
particular characteristics of each district.
(3) The determination of the relevant day is set out
in section 16E of the Electoral Act 1907, which states that the state
must be divided into districts as soon as practicable after the day that is two
years after polling day for each general election
for the Assembly. The roll close for the distribution took place on the
relevant day, which was 13 March 2023, in accordance with the act.
Section l6G of the Electoral Act 1907 requires the commissioners to divide the
state into districts in accordance with the enrolment levels determined at the
relevant day.
of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by the Minister
for Electoral Affairs, whom, for the member's future reference, I represent.
(1)–(2) The
Western Australian Electoral Commission—along with its joint electoral
roll partner, the Australian Electoral Commission—is always studying
enrolment rates across the state. It is conscious of varying enrolment trends
in regional districts across Western Australia, including areas of sustained
population growth and decline. There is no uniform systemic under-enrolment in
regional areas. The issues and reasons for varying enrolment across all
electoral districts varies based on some common factors, as well as the
particular characteristics of each district.
(3) The determination of the relevant day is set out
in section 16E of the Electoral Act 1907, which states that the state
must be divided into districts as soon as practicable after the day that is two
years after polling day for each general election
for the Assembly. The roll close for the distribution took place on the
relevant day, which was 13 March 2023, in accordance with the act.
Section l6G of the Electoral Act 1907 requires the commissioners to divide the
state into districts in accordance with the enrolment levels determined at the
relevant day.
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