Benjamin Millar
Melton Council has called for Bacchus Marsh to be dumped from the state seat of Melton and replaced with Toolern Vale as part of sweeping boundary changes ahead of the next state election.
The Electoral Boundaries Commission (EBC) is conducting a redivision of Victoria’s state electoral boundaries, recommending a number of changes to ensure the number of voters in each seat remains within 10 per cent of the average.
In proposed changes recently released for consultation, Bacchus Marsh and Darley would move from the Melton electorate to Bunninyong while Plumpton, Bonnie Brook and Deanside would shift from the Kororoit electorate into Sydenham.
Melton Council officers reviewed the proposed changes in consultation with councillors, hatching a number of recommendations based on achieving a better strategic alignment for electoral divisions within the municipality.
A report to the recent ordinary council meeting noted that this will also achieve a consolidated and more geographically centred state representation, by recommending the removal of Melton municipal areas from electorates with significant rural populations.
It notes the removal of the Bacchus Marsh area from the electorate of Melton would give the local Member, currently Labor’s Steve McGhie, a greater focus on the Melton area.
The report also seeks the area of Toolern Vale being moved out of the neighbouring Macedon electorate and into Melton.
“Incorporating Toolern Vale into the Melton electorate is considered a better alignment of the electorate given the Melton electorate is now largely a metropolitan electorate and Macedon District a rural one,” it states.
The report notes the MacPherson Park sporting precinct is currently within the Macedon District boundary despite being used primarily by sporting groups in the Melton catchment.
“It would therefore better align within the Melton electorate and ensure advocacy and funding submissions are directed through the local member whose constituents make the greatest use of this precinct.”
The report also suggests the proposed expansion of the Sydenham electorate to Kororoit Creek will provide improved clarity in the council’s advocacy efforts for the upgrade to the Melton Highway.
