Melbourne electorate set to be dumped

Labor’s inner-east Melbourne seat of Higgins is set to be abolished at the next federal election forcing incumbent Labor MP Michelle Ananda-Rajah to either find a new seat to contest, jump to the Senate, or end her short-lived political career.

And in a further blow for Labor, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has also proposed to establish a new seat in Perth’s outer-east which on first estimates is notionally Liberal.

Higgins had long been a blue ribbon seat for the Liberal Party which had held it since it was established in 1955. But former member Katie Allen lost to Dr Ananda-Rajah at the 2022 election which Labor won.

Dr Ananda-Rajah said as the first Labor member for Higgins she was “obviously disappointed” by the announcement.

“I remain as committed as ever to represent this great electorate – a seat of two former Prime Ministers,” she said in a statement.

Dr Allen, who was picked for Liberal preselection in November, said it was a “curious decision” by the AEC but she would continue to “work hard and listen to voters.”

“Politics is brutal, but it’s beautiful,” she told Sky News.

“I’m putting myself forward to be a strong voice for Higgins.”

The seat of Higgins had also been held by the Howard government’s long serving treasurer Peter Costello, while former prime ministers Harold Holt and John Gorton also represented the division.

AEC Commissioner Tom Rogers said the changes in Victoria were required to enable a decrease from 39 to 38 electoral divisions.

“Under the proposal, some significant changes would occur, with the boundaries of Victorian divisions being amended to accommodate the decrease,” he said.

“Thirty-eight of the existing 39 division names would be retained with the Division of Higgins to be abolished.”

Under the plan, voters in the seat which covers the suburbs of Armadale, Kooyong, Malvern, Prahran and Toorak, will be redistributed to the neighbouring electorates of Chisholm, Hotham, Kooyong, Macnamara and Melbourne.

Labor holds Chisholm, Hotham and Macnamara, while teal independent Monique Ryan holds Kooyong and Greens leader Adam Bandt represents Melbourne.

The proposed seat in Western Australia would be named Bullwinkel, in honour of WWII hero, nurse Vivian Bullwinkel.

Bullwinkel will cover Perth’s outer-eastern suburbs and extend into the wheatbelt.

Parts of Coalition-held seats of Canning, Durack and O’Connor will be hived off to create Bullwinkel, as will large portions of the Labor-held seat of Hasluck.

Objections to the AEC’s proposals must be filed by June 28.

To bring the House of Representatives back to 150 seats, the AEC is also proposing to abolish another seat in NSW with an announcement expected in coming weeks.