TENTERFIELD and areas around Glen Innes and Inverell could move from the New England electorate under suggestions and comments received during the federal redistribution process.
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Comments have closed on suggestions regarding the redistribution of federal electorates in NSW, with more than 150 comments received.
New England and Parkes are electorates of contention for a few respondents as to which new areas they should include and whether New England should give up its northern towns and take in the Upper Hunter instead.
In initial suggestions, there were many members of the public and political parties that suggested changes, including New England to be abolished, modified or expanded, and Parkes to be modified or expanded.
New England stretches from Tenterfield to Walcha and Liverpool Plains local government areas and Parkes covers Gwydir to Bourke and Cobar to Mid-Western Regional LGAs.
The Liberal Party commented that the Division of Page should become a northern border electorate, with the inclusion of part of the Gwydir, Inverell, Glen Innes and Tenterfield local government areas, which they believe joins like-minded communities of interest.
This would mean the Division of New England would move south, down to and including Mus- wellbrook shire – uniting those LGAs centred along the New England Highway.
The party does not believe there needs to be major changes made to the Division of Parkes.
Dr Mark Mulcair does not believe there should be any changes made to New England, as it is close to quota already and writes that taking northern towns and moving the electorate south is “overkill”.
In his comment, he wrote “if Page extended across the mountains into northern New England, it would involve communities that had few connections, with the possible exception of Tenterfield”.
He also commented that there was “general agreement that Upper Hunter be placed in New England or Parkes, and that all of Mid Western Regional be united in Parkes”.
The redistribution committee will now convene to consider proposed boundaries and in the next few months, it will release its report outlining the proposed redistribution.
It will then call for objections to the redistribution proposal before the public can make comments on the objections.
Late in the year the Augmented Electoral Commission meets to determine the final boundaries, and it will announce the boundaries and there is a further objection period if required.
An augmented Electoral Commission consists of the chairperson of the Electoral Commission, the third member of the Electoral Commission and the members of the Redistribution Committee.
It will make its final decision on February 25 next year and it will be made public after being tabled in parliament.
