2905.0 - Statistical Geography: Volume 2 -- Census Geographic Areas, Australia, 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 17/07/2007   
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CHAPTER 3 STATE ELECTORAL DIVISIONS


GENERAL DESCRIPTION

A state electoral district is an area legally prescribed for the purpose of returning one or more members to the State or Territory Lower Houses of Parliament. The derived Census Geographic Areas which approximate these official areas are known as State Electoral Divisions (SEDs). The boundaries and census statistics produced for SEDs are CD derived (based on the method described in Chapter 1). Boundaries are based upon the state electoral districts current on Census Night 8 August 2006. The exception is Victoria, where boundaries effective for their state election held on 25 November, 2006 were used because of the proximity of the dates.


For the 2006 Census, 435 SEDs are defined to cover the whole of geographic Australia (excluding external territories of Jervis Bay, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands). SEDs do not cross State/Territory borders.


SED names and codes

SED names are the same as those allocated by the Electoral Commission in each State/Territory. All SEDs are sorted by name and then allocated a four-digit code. Unique Australia-wide identification of SEDs requires a five-digit code comprising S/T code (digit 1) and SED code (digits 2-5).


The SED code 9999 is reserved for those States/Territories that have Off-Shore, Shipping and Migratory CDs. CDs allocated this code are not part of any official Electoral Division.


Some States and Territories have differing electoral arrangements. A summary of these differences and how they affect the SED classification is provided below:


NSW

New South Wales has two Houses of Parliament but only the Legislative Assembly (Lower House) electoral districts are represented in the SED classification since the Legislative Council (upper House) is a single constituency. SEDs are sorted by Lower House district name and then allocated a state identifier (digit 1) and a code starting from 0001 (digits 2-5).


Example:


1 0001 Albury


1 0002 Auburn


VIC

In Victoria, the Legislative Council (Upper House) regions are obtained by amalgamating the Legislative Assembly (Lower House) electoral districts. The SED classification provides information on both of these houses. The code comprises a state identifier (digit 1), a Lower House code (digits 2-3) and an Upper House code (digits 4-5). Upper House region names are recorded in brackets after the Lower House district names.


Example:


2 0106 Albert Park (Southern Metropolitan)


2 0214 Altona (Melbourne West)


QLD

Queensland has only one House of Parliament (the Legislative Assembly) with each member representing an electoral district. These districts are equivalent to divisions in this classification. SEDs are sorted by name then allocated a state identifier (digit 1) and a code starting from 0001 (digits 2-5).


Example:


3 0001 Albert


3 0002 Algester


SA

Like New South Wales, in South Australia, there are two Houses of Parliament but only the House of Assembly (Lower House) electoral districts are represented in the SED classification since the Legislative Council (Upper House) is a single constituency. SEDs are sorted by Lower House name then allocated a state identifier (digit 1) and a code starting from 0001 (digits 2-5).


Example:


4 0001 Adelaide


4 0002 Ashford


WA

In Western Australia, Legislative Council (Upper House) regions are obtained by amalgamating the Legislative Assembly (Lower House) electoral districts. The SED classification provides information on both of these houses. The five-digit code comprises a state identifier (digit 1), a Lower House code (digits 2-3) and an Upper House code (digits 4-5). Upper House region names are recorded in brackets after the Lower House district names.


Example:


5 0106 Albany (South West)


5 0205 Alfred Cove (South Metropolitan)


TAS

In Tasmania there are two Houses of Parliament, the House of Assembly (Lower House) and the Legislative Council (Upper House). The Upper House divisions do not aggregate to or from the Lower House divisions. Information on both Houses is provided by the SED classification. The code comprises a state identifier (digit 1) and a Lower House code (digits 2-3) and an Upper House code (digits 4-5). Tasmanian Upper House names are recorded in brackets after Lower House names. Because Upper House divisions do not aggregate from the Lower House divisions there is more than one code covering a Lower House division, ie. one for each overlapping House division.


Example:


6 0302 Denison (Derwent)


6 0303 Denison (Elwick)


6 0308 Denison (Nelson)


6 0314 Denison (Wellington)


6 0402 Franklin (Derwent)


6 0404 Franklin (Huon)


NT

In the Northern Territory there is only one House of Parliament, the Legislative Assembly, the electorates for which are equivalent to the divisions in the SED classification. SEDs are sorted by name, then allocated a state identifier (digit 1), then a code starting from 0001 (digits 2-5).


Example:


7 0001 Arafura


7 0002 Araluen


ACT

The Australian Capital Territory has only one House of Parliament, the Legislative Assembly, the electorates for which are equivalent to the divisions in the SED classification. SEDs are sorted by name and then allocated state identifier (digit 1), then a code starting from 0001 (digits 2-5).


Example:


8 0001 Brindabella


8 0002 Ginninderra


OT

There are no State Electoral Divisions for the Other Territories.


Please see Appendix 2 for a full listing of SED codes and names.


Maintenance

SEDs are only defined in the census year. Thus, any boundary changes that occur in official electoral boundaries will not be reflected until the next census. However, CD based concordances will be produced as redistribution of State Electoral boundaries become effective.