In the unlikely event the fast-growing ACT suffers a catastrophic decline in population, a new bill could stop its share of federal lower house MPs being reduced to one.
The federal government announced on Friday it would push for the nation's two major territories to be guaranteed a minimum two House of Representatives seats each.
Senator Mathias Cormann said the government will introduce a bill establishing the minimum for the ACT and Northern Territory's lower house representation.
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It follows an inquiry into another bill, introduced by Labor senator for the NT Malarndirri McCarthy and shadow special minister of state Don Farrell, that would provide a minimum of two divisions for the NT in the House of Representatives.
The Labor-initiated bill aimed to stop the NT's population decline from reducing its lower house seats to one, as determined in July by the electoral commission.
But the inquiry found a two-seat minimum should apply to both the nation's major territories to prevent a two-tiered system emerging.
While the NT's population was about 245,000 in March, the ACT's population reached about 430,000.
Doug Dingwall
Doug Dingwall is The Canberra Times' Public Service Editor. He writes about government and federal politics, and edits The Public Sector Informant. He has an interest in integrity and industrial relations. Previously he worked at The Examiner in Launceston, where he won a Tasmanian Human Rights Award in 2016 for his reporting. Contact him on doug.dingwall@canberratimes.com.au
Doug Dingwall is The Canberra Times' Public Service Editor. He writes about government and federal politics, and edits The Public Sector Informant. He has an interest in integrity and industrial relations. Previously he worked at The Examiner in Launceston, where he won a Tasmanian Human Rights Award in 2016 for his reporting. Contact him on doug.dingwall@canberratimes.com.au
