Teal MP to lose seat in redistribution
Written by admin on June 14, 2024
Independent MP Kylea Tink’s seat of North Sydney is set to be abolished at the next federal election under a draft proposal put forward by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
The AEC released its draft redistribution of NSW electoral boundaries on Friday, which include major changes to the regional seats of Hume, Riverina and Eden-Monaro.
More than 700,000 enrolled voters would swap federal electoral divisions under the redrawing of the electoral map.
Under the recommendations, the once-safe federal Liberal seat of North Sydney, won by Ms Tink in 2022, would reshuffle voters into the nearby seats of Bradfield, Bennelong, Bradfield, and Warringah.
Liberal MP Paul Fletcher’s seat of Bradfield would be likely be challenged by a large portion of voters previously in Teal-held seats in Sydney’s northern suburbs entering his electorate.
In a written statement issued on Friday, Mr Fletcher said he “welcomed” the retaining of his seat and anticipated the final changes which will be released in October.
Teal MP Zali Steggall, who holds the seat of Warringah, said she was “very disappointed” by the proposal to scrap North Sydney and said her electorate was set to gain 36,000 voters under the plan.
“These are quite substantial changes … I think there will be a lot for Kylea to consider,” Ms Steggall said on Friday.
Liberal shadow treasurer Angus Taylor’s seat of Hume would move further into the outskirts of Sydney and shed the regional centre of Goulburn.
Goulburn will move into the Labor-held seat of Eden-Monaro, which was won by Kristy McBain in 2020.
The seat of Cook, formerly held by former prime minister Scott Morrison, would be renamed to jointly honour both Captain James Cook and Australia’s sixth prime minister, Joseph Cook.
Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers said the plans were required to facilitate a decrease from 47 to 46 electoral divisions.
“Under the proposal, some significant changes would occur, with the boundaries of New South Wales divisions being amended to accommodate the decrease,” Mr Rogers said
“Forty-five of the existing 47 division names would be retained.”
Objections to the changes must be submitted by July 12.
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