Commonwealth act

Representation Act 1916

RepealedCTH

This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.

Jurisdiction

Commonwealth

Act Number

15 of 1916

Collection

act

Plain English Summary

1/10 complexity

What this law does

This short law prevents the Chief Electoral Officer from scheduling a specific population count (called an Enumeration Day) during 1916.

Background Under the Representation Act 1905, an Enumeration Day normally had to be held five years after the first census to work out how many parliamentary seats each state should get based on population. This 1916 law puts that requirement on hold for that specific year.

Why it matters This effectively delayed the process of redistributing federal electoral seats (which would have been triggered by the population count) during World War I.

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Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in Representation Act 1916.

Representation Act 1916

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REPRESENTATION.

No. 15 of 1916.

An Act relating to the Appointment of an Enumeration Day for the purposes of the Representation Act 1905.

[Assented to 30th May, 1916.]

BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title.

1. This Act may be cited as the Representation Act 1916.

Commencement

2. This Act shall be deemed to have commenced on the first day of January One thousand nine hundred and sixteen.

Enumeration Day not to be appointed during 1916.

3. Notwithstanding anything contained in section three of the Representation Act 1905, the Chief Electoral Officer shall not appoint an Enumeration Day at the expiration of the fifth year after the first census taken after the commencement of that Act.

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.