The redistribution committee made the following comments among its observations for the proposed boundary changes.
The committee proposes that: the Division of Page gains 23,114 electors from the Division of Cowper in the northern part of Coffs Harbour … and 6,863 electors from the Division of Richmond in the Lismore LGA; the Division of Page transfers 13,693 electors to the proposed Division of Richmond; and, the changes result in a projected enrolment for the proposed Division of Page of 114,294 or a variation from the projected enrolment quota of plus 3.39 per cent.
The redistribution committee made the following comments among its observations for the proposed boundary changes. The committee proposes that: the Division of Page gains 23,114 electors from the Division of Cowper in the northern part of Coffs Harbour … and 6,863 electors from the Division of Richmond in the Lismore LGA; the Division of Page transfers 13,693 electors to the proposed Division of Richmond; and, the changes result in a projected enrolment for the proposed Division of Page of 114,294 or a variation from the projected enrolment quota of plus 3.39 per cent.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has released its proposed electorate boundary changes, which include the Page and Cowper electorates.
The southern boundary for Page will now extend almost as far as Coffs Harbour.
Previously this area was in the electorate of Cowper.
The redistribution is a result of a change to the NSW electorate entitlement from 48 to 47 seats in the House of Representatives, as determined by the Electoral Commissioner in November 2014, to meet the provisions of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.
The chair of the redistribution committee and electoral commissioner, Tom Rogers, said in a media release that the current and projected enrolment numbers had led the committee to propose significant adjustment to federal electoral boundaries in NSW.
“After careful consideration, the redistribution committee unanimously proposes the abolition of the existing Division of Hunter,” Mr Rogers said
In making its proposal, the redistribution committee considered enrolment numbers, public suggestions and comments on suggestions, communities of interest, communication and transport links, geographic or constructed features able to be used as readily identifiable electoral boundaries, and the current federal electoral boundaries.
Meanwhile, Labor’s candidate for Page, Janelle Saffin said she was committed “to deliver for the people of the reconfigured electorate, if the Australian Electoral Commission determines these as the final boundaries”.
“It just makes good sense for Maclean and Nimbin to be included in Page,” she said.
“The result is that the entire local government areas of both Clarence Valley and Lismore are now included.
“For Maclean, it means I can continue to work with the community to secure even more funding
and services, building on those I delivered as the member, even though they were in Cowper.”
In last week’s Independent Carol Vernon announced that she was the Greens candidate for Cowper (before the proposed boundary changes were announced).
She has confirmed that she will still be contesting the seat of Cowper.
Written objections on the proposed boundary changes must be lodged no later than 6pm AEDT Friday November 13, 2015.
The AEC prefers online submissions, which can be made at: www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/Redistributions/2014/nsw/objections.htm
