Proposed boundary changes to two Legislative Council electorates carves up much of the regional heartland of the North, says Western Tiers MLC Greg Hall.
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The planned change mixes Western Tiers and Apsley, creating two new electorates.
McIntyre will blend Meander Valley, Northern Midlands and the North-East, while Prosser will be based around the Southern Midlands and the lower half of the state’s East Coast.
If the change goes ahead, either Mr Hall or Apsley independent MLC Tania Rattray will be forced to service a community far away from their homes.
The change has been necessitated by slow future growth in rural areas and the need for even population quotas between electorates.
Mr Hall said the focus on voter headcount had not passed the commonsense test and disadvantaged the rural North.
“And the electoral commission in the interests of democracy and proper consultation should be writing to everyone in the affected electorates letting them know directly about the changes,” he said.
Meander Valley mayor Craig Perkins said he was concerned that the Legislative Council member would struggle service the new electorate sprawl.
“In terms of accessibility, there are challenges for the community and their representative to engage with each other.
Cr Perkins said while politicians seated in Lyons effectively had to cover one-third of the state’s area, they were supported by party resources and government assistance for office and staff costs.
