THE Augmented ACT Electoral Commission decided it would not uphold any of the objections to the proposed redistribution of the ACT’s electoral boundaries, according to the ACT electoral commissioner, Damian Cantwell.

Instead, he says it has decided to accept the electoral boundaries proposed by the ACT Redistribution Committee, which include the controversial move of Yarralumla and Deakin from Kurrajong to Murrumbidgee.

In May, the Redistribution Committee invited community objections and had numerous community members and groups, such as the Deakin Residents Association and ACT Labor, call to keep Yarralumla and Deakin in Kurrajong.

In the report published by the ACT Electoral Commission, the Deakin Residents Association argued that Deakin and Yarralumla “should be kept in the same electorate” because of its positioning, with heritage issues relevant to the status of both suburbs.

ACT Labor also called to keep both Deakin and Yarralumla in Kurrajong, saying: “We believe that the proposal to redistribute the inner south suburbs of Deakin and Yarralumla from Kurrajong into Murrumbidgee creates a significant problem for maintaining this community of interest together and providing for good democratic representation for the residents of this area…”

Mr Cantwell, however, says the objections were carefully considered by the Augmented Commission.

“The Augmented Commission decided that the objections did not raise any substantive new matters that had not already been addressed by the Redistribution Committee in its consideration of the public suggestions and comments,” he says.

“Accordingly the Augmented Commission did not consider that it was necessary to hold a public hearing into the objections.”

The final electorates are:

Brindabella, a five Member electorate comprising the district of Tuggeranong (excluding the section of the Tuggeranong suburb of Kambah that is East of Drakeford Drive, and that portion of Tuggeranong District between Drakeford Drive and Athllon Drive) and the districts of Booth, Cotter River, Paddy’s River, Rendezvous Creek, Tennent and Mount Clear;

Ginninderra, a five Member electorate comprising the district of Belconnen (excluding the suburbs of Giralang and Kaleen);

Kurrajong, a five Member electorate comprising the district of Canberra Central (excluding the suburbs of Deakin and Yarralumla), and the districts of Jerrabomberra (including the entire suburb of Hume), Kowen and Majura;

Murrumbidgee, a five Member electorate comprising the districts of Molonglo Valley, Weston Creek, Woden Valley, Coree (including the village of Uriarra) and Stromlo, the section of the Tuggeranong suburb of Kambah that is East of Drakeford Drive, and that portion of Tuggeranong District between Drakeford Drive and Athllon Drive, and the Canberra Central suburbs of Deakin and Yarralumla; and

Yerrabi, a five Member electorate comprising the districts of Gungahlin and Hall and the Belconnen District suburbs of Giralang and Kaleen.

The statement of reasons and the final map of the new boundaries is available online at elections.act.gov.au and from the office of the ACT Electoral Commission.