Electoral Boundaries Commission Presentation

The Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission recently travelled to Port Augusta to hear from interested persons and groups in relation to district boundary changes which have been proposed.

At a hearing in Adelaide in early May, the Commission noted that a number of parties had identified that significant changes may need to be made to various outback electoral districts, in particular Giles, Flinders and Stuart in order for the Commission to comply with s.77(1) of the Constitution Act due to stagnant or declining population and the flow-on effects that this has on elector numbers in those districts.

Submissions before the Commission proposed substantial changes to the districts of Giles, Stuart and Frome, including combining the cities of Port Augusta and Whyalla into one district, dividing Port Augusta between Giles and Stuart and combining Port Augusta and Port Pirie in the district of Stuart.

Port Augusta City Council CEO John Banks attended the regional hearing at the Magistrates Court on Wednesday 24th June to respond on behalf of the Port Augusta City Council. Mr Banks informed the Electoral Boundaries Commission representatives that a split in the municipal would not be desirable and would be detrimental to the community.

Mr Banks stated “Council believes splitting the municipality to achieve a mathematical quota will ignore significant characteristics of the city and will diminish electoral capacity, representation and recognition.”

“Port Augusta is a major service centre for the region as well as a meeting place for Outback SA residents, we are best served by a single Electorate member, with an estimated $5 billion in private investment in the Port Augusta district alone, the Upper Spencer Gulf is on the cusp of a significant economic transformation.”

Mayor Brett Benbow agreed “The proposed Electoral Boundary changes would result in the division of the city, and would not benefit the residents. Port Augusta deserves and warrants its own Electoral representation, which must not be shared with another city. We have important infrastructure projects, services, investments, health and education departments which would not be benefited by split boundaries”

For further information please contact Council’s Media and Communications Officer on (08) 86419100.

JOHN BANKS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
24/06/2020