The submissions are in response to a proposal to create two new legislative council electorates – McIntyre and Prosser.

McIntyre would stretch from Kentish in the North-West through Meander and the Northern Midlands to the East Coat and up to Flinders Island. Prosser would cover the rest of the East Coast and south.

One of the submissions was from the Launceston Chamber of Commerce, who strongly reject the proposed changes chief executive Jan Davis described as “radical”.

“No credible argument has been presented as to why incremental boundary changes would not deliver an outcome that addresses the small variations in population within the existing division boundaries,” Ms Davis said.

“The abolishment of Western Tiers and the reconfiguration of Apsley will have significant effects on the makeup in the Legislative Council and on the communities represented in these electorates.”

Ms Davis said the proposal ignored strong and longstanding communities of interest that often aligned with local government boundaries.

The division from east to west of the new Legislative Council boundaries has caused angst among local councils, with Dorset and Northern Midlands standing to be the most affected by the changes.

With the division of new electorate McIntyre from Kentish to the East Coast it is unlikely a representative would come from Dorset and Northern Midlands will be split into three areas under the new changes. An option to develop boundaries with minimal adjustments required to comply with the legislated criteria was rejected by the tribunal.

“This is our preferred option. In the absence of compelling evidence, it is clear that there is no need for significant change at this time to address concerns about population differentials. ” 

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