“We are a South West community”: Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup objects to Federal electoral boundary proposal

The Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup has formally opposed plans to move it into the country’s third biggest Federal electorate. The council has written to the Australian Electoral Commission opposing its planned WA redistribution, which would move the shire into the seat of O’Connor. Councillors approved a letter opposing the plans at the June 26 meeting, which was penned by shire president Vivienne MacCarthy and former acting chief executive Garry Hunt. The letter is addressed to the AEC’s redistribution committee and explains the council’s opinion on the potential move. “(Our) position is that the whole of the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup should remain within the electoral division of Forrest as the prescribed factors to be taken into account by the AEC when reviewing electoral comprehensively show that the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup has a greater strength of community interest, communication and transport links to the Forrest electorate as opposed to the O’Connor electorate,” the letter reads. The letter comes in response to the AEC publishing its proposed redistribution in late May as the State prepares to gain an extra seat in Federal Parliament. Under the plans, Forrest will gain the Shire of Waroona from the Canning electorate but lose the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup. The Shire of Waroona has also lodged its opposition to the move. The letter warns Donnybrook-Balingup electors would have less representation if the area was moved to O’Connor. “Electors within the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup will have reduced access to their Member of Parliament if transferred to the O’Connor electorate,” it reads. “The Member for Forrest has her electorate office in Bunbury whereas the Member for O’Connor has a principal office in Kalgoorlie and secondary offices in Esperance, Albany and Manjimup.” Speaking at the meeting, Cr Anne Mitchell said she backed the opposition. “The draft submission to go to the Electoral Commission absolutely sums up everything why this (opposition) is relevant,” she said. “We are not linked to Kalgoorlie, Laverton or anywhere else, we are a South West community and we need to be represented by a South West Member of Parliament.” Cr Deanna Shand also expressed her support for the motion. “We are supposed to remain apolitical and every time there’s an election these kind of things could occur so I think we need to remain our stance as a shire as to where the boundaries lay,” she said. The motion passed with unanimous support. 45 objections have been received by the AEC, with six of those relating to the South West shire’s place in Forrest. The public is invited to make comment until July 12.