By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Keysborough MP and Cabinet Minister Martin Pakula’s seat would be abolished under proposed state electoral boundary changes.
Nearly 47,000 Keysborough District voters would be absorbed into neighbouring seats Dandenong, Mordialloc, Mulgrave and Clarinda, as proposed by the state’s Electoral Boundaries Commission on 30 June.
Effectively, Greater Dandenong loses a State MP in the Legislative Assembly – offset by the creation of the seat of Berwick in the outer South East.
Mr Pakula holds portfolios in Industry Support and Recovery, Trade, Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Business Precincts and Racing.
He was also formerly the state’s Attorney-General.
Dandenong District held by State Cabinet member Gabrielle Williams would absorb 14,373 voters from the abolished seat’s suburbs of Keysborough and Noble Park within Heatherton, Corrigan and Chapel roads and Dandenong Bypass.
Labor MP Meng Heang Tak’s Clarinda electorate would shift south, absorbing electors from Moorabbin Airport, Dingley Village and Springvale South as well as parts of Keysborough and Noble Park.
Mordialloc held by Labor’s Tim Richardson would absorb about 10,000 voters from Waterways, Braeside and most of Keysborough.
About 3000 Keysborough District voters would be added to Premier Daniel Andrews’s Mulgrave electorate.
In its report on 30 June, the EBC advised a redivision to reflect Melbourne’s population distribution.
Hence, the middle suburban districts of Ferntree Gully, Mt Waverley and Keysborough districts would be replaced by Berwick, Greenvale and Laverton in high-growth outer areas.
The EBC considered abolishing either Clarinda or Keysborough, though it noted four submitters suggested abolishing Mulgrave District held by Premier Daniel Andrews.
In its submission to the EBC, the ALP proposed retaining the electorates in Greater Dandenong, instead abolishing Ferntree Gully, Forest Hill and Sandringham seats.
The Liberals proposed abolishing both Clarinda and Keysborough in favour of new seats in the outer South East. Mulgrave would also be absorbed into a new Springvale District.
The upper-house regions will be unchanged – with Greater Dandenong’s council area still in the South-East Metropolitan Region.
The changes are open for public comment until 5pm on 30 July.
Public hearings will take place in August.
