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Growth prompts boundary talk

Lucy JarvisNorth Coast Times

PROPOSED changes to state electoral boundaries would involve suburb-shuffling across most local electorates.

The WA Electoral Commission’s report on 2015 proposed boundaries is currently out for public submissions, and includes significant changes for the Butler and Wanneroo electorates.

“The northern fringe of the metropolitan area has seen substantial population growth,” the report said.

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“To accommodate both past and projected growth, the commissioners propose to reconfigure the district of Butler into a clearly defined coastal strip.

“Wanneroo becomes a district of predominantly urban communities in the south and semi-rural communities, national parks and timber plantations in the north.”

The semi-rural area that geographically makes up about two-thirds of the current Butler electorate would be transferred to Paul Miles’s seat of Wanneroo, including east Yanchep, Carabooda, Nowergup, east Neerabup and Pinjar.

Banksia Grove would be drawn into the West Swan electorate, as would Mariginiup, Jandabup, Gnangara, Wangara and east Wanneroo, and then fall under the East Metropolitan Region rather than North.

Speaking at the Two Rocks Yanchep Residents Association meeting on July 27, Butler MLA John Quigley welcomed the prospect of a smaller electorate.

“I think it’s a good thing; they have condensed the seat,” he said.

“They have taken away all the suburbs east of Wanneroo Road.

‘It was very hard for me to represent Two Rocks and a community as far as Banksia Grove.

“The effort can now be more concentrated on this area.”

Butler would also cede Clarkson, where Mr Quigley’s office is located, to the Ocean Reef electorate, currently represented by Albert Jacob.

The commissioners have proposed to rename the latter electorate “Hale”, as it would transfer the suburb of Ocean Reef and Mullaloo to the Joondalup electorate (held by Jan Norberger).

“The name Hale is in recognition of the contribution of Bishop Matthew Hale to education and his work among indigenous Australians in the early colony of WA,” the report said.

Farther south, the Girrawheen electorate (held by Margaret Quirk) would cede Cullacabardee, Warwick and Hamersley and be renamed Erickson.

“It is proposed to rename the district Erickson in recognition of Frederica Erickson, a prominent 20th century naturalist, historian and botanical artist.”

It said West Swan (held by Rita Saffioti) would be renamed Mann, after a pioneer of the WA wine industry, Jack Mann.

Hillarys (Rob Johnson) would gain Craigie from Joondalup but cede parts of Marmion and Sorrento to Carine (Tony Krsticevic), while Kingsley (Andrea Mitchell) would gain the rest of Warwick from Girrawheen.

Janine Freeman’s seat of Mirrabooka would not change under the proposed redistribution, set to come into effect for the March 2017 elections. Submissions close on August 24.

For more information, visit visit www.boundaries.wa.gov.au.

WA ELECTORAL BOUNDARY REVIEW

PROPOSED DISTRIBUTION (LOCAL SUBURBS)

Butler: Alkimos, Butler, Eglinton, Jindalee, Merriwa, Quinns Rocks, Ridgewood, Two Rocks, west Yanchep.

Carine: Duncraig, Marmion (most), south Sorrento.

Girrawheen (Erickson): Darch, Girrawheen, Landsdale, Madeley, Marangaroo.

Hillarys: Craigie, Hillarys, Kallaroo, Padbury, Sorrento (most).

Joondalup: Beldon, Connolly, south Currambine, Edgewater, Heathridge, Joondalup (most), Mullaloo, Ocean Reef.

Kingsley: Greenwood, Kingsley, Warwick, Woodvale.

Mirrabooka: Alexander Heights, Koondoola.

Ocean Reef (Hale): Burns Beach, Clarkson, north Currambine, Iluka, north-west Joondalup, Kinross, Mindarie, Tamala Park.

Wanneroo: Ashby, Carabooda, Carramar, Hocking, east Neerabup, Nowergup, Pearsall, Pinjar, Sinagra, Tapping, Wanneroo (most), east Yanchep.

West Swan (Mann): Banksia Grove, Gnangara, Jandabup, Mariginiup, Wangara, east Wanneroo.