Australian Electoral Commission axes electorate of Higgins in boundary shake up
The Australian Electoral Commission has released its latest changes to Victoria’s federal electoral boundaries, abolishing one electorate and shaking up several others. See all the changes.
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The electorate of Higgins in Melbourne will be abolished ahead of the next federal election.
The Australian Electoral Commission confirmed the decision, alongside several over federal electorate boundary changes, on Thursday.
The move means Labor MP Michelle Ananda-Rajah will lose her seat.
It also casts a cloud over the future of Liberal candidate Katie Allen and independents Lucy Bradlow and Bronwen Bock.
Ms Bradlow and Ms Bock, who had proposed job-sharing the position, said they were also disappointed but began developing a revised campaign since the AEC’s proposed boundaries were released.
“We strongly believe in the importance of our campaign to drive much needed change for a more representative and inclusive political system,” the pair said in a statement.
“We will be making an announcement on our plans for a relaunched campaign imminently.”
Dr Allen, the former member for Higgins, said she was disappointed with the decision after spending the past five months listening to residents’ cost of living concerns.
It had been “an enormous privilege and honour” to represent her community, she said.
“While Higgins will no longer be an electoral division at the next election I will still keep fighting to help residents and to promote Liberal values,” she said.
“I look forward to continuing to support the Liberal Party and its candidates going into the next election.
“We need a change in government to get Australia back on track.”
The axing of Higgins means Victoria will now have 38 lower house seats at the next election.
Under new changes to the proposed Victorian redistribution:
• The entire Hepburn Shire will remain in the Ballarat electorate.
• Rochester, Bonn, Diggora, Fairy Dell, Tennyson and part of Milloo will be in Bendigo.
• A portion of Malvern East, located to the east of Belgrave Rd, will be in Chisholm.
• A portion of Mulgrave, located to the north of the Monash Fwy, and Wheelers Hill, bounded by Ferntree Gully Rd and Lum Rd, will be in Hotham.
• Wollert and a portion of Craigieburn, east of the Hume Hwy and north of Craigieburn Rd, will be in Scullin.
• All of Mernda will be in McEwan and Bellbrae in Corangamite.
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Originally published as Australian Electoral Commission axes electorate of Higgins in boundary shake up
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