The Australian Electoral Commission has announced changes to federal electoral boundaries in Tasmania, allaying fears expressed by parts of the local government sector but angering others.
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After extensive consultation and numerous public hearings, the AEC revealed on Wednesday that municipalities like Flinders and Meander Valley would experience boundary changes.
The redistribution process is undertaken every seven years to ensure that all Australian electorates meet the elector quota, to account for differing growth rates and to unite communities of interest.
Furthermore, the Denison electorate will be renamed ‘Clark’ in recognition of Andrew Inglis Clark, the politician and lawyer who drafted the Australian Constitution.
The name and boundary changes will take effect on November 14.
AEC presiding member Dennis Cowdroy thanked everyone who had contributed to the redistribution process.
“After a thorough consideration of the further objections and submissions to the inquiry into further objections, the ... Electoral Commission’s proposal released on July 20 will be implemented without change,” he said.
Parts of Meander Valley used to fall within Bass, but now the entirety of the municipality has been redistributed to Lyons.
Meander Valley Mayor Craig Perkins said his council’s wishes had not been heeded by the AEC.
“They’d clearly made up their minds,” he said.
“It seems to be ticking a box rather than addressing the issues.”
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Cr Perkins said urban areas in the municipality should have remained in Bass.
“Potentially, you end up with a person in Prospect Vale whose local member is located in Sorell,” he said.
Kentish Mayor Don Thwaites said he was against splitting up the council area but that the municipality was “socially and economically a part of Braddon”.
“Lyons is such a disparate electorate,” he said.
Cr Thwaites said it was not “sensible” for Kentish to remain in Lyons in the long-term.