Redistribution Finalised

The AEC has released the final determination on the Federal Redistribution. Malcolm Turnbull appears to be one of the big winners, with the proposed boundary change adjusted slightly to take in some of the swankier areas that make up his support base rather than taking in some of the more left-leaning beach areas that he must not have been looking forward to representing. The unpopular decision to remove the Parramatta CBD from the electorate of Parramatta has been reversed. The super-electorate of Parkes has been shrunk significantly at the expense of neighbouring Farrer and Calare, though they do not provide much comfort to independent Peter Andren, who still finds himself with an electorate of a significantly different character. Some, such as the Member for Sydney Tanya Plibersek, have suddenly found themselves living outside their own electorate. Plibersek, whose electorate is one of the state's most populous, has also failed in her attempt to retain Lord Howe Island. And, of course, the seat of Gwydir, currently held by the soon-to-retire John Anderson, has been abolished.

There's now speculation that there could be a rash of challenges by MPs who have seen their support base shifted to another electorate, some of which would come against sitting MPs of the same party, and even Ministers (such as John Cobb). No doubt the government needs another Liberal/National/rural Independent stoush like a hole in the head ...