Redistributions are required by law after every second state election and voters at the April 2023 election, could find themselves sizing up some unfamiliar candidates.
Under draft boundaries released last week by the independent, three-member Electoral Districts Redistribution Panel, the seat of Lakemba would go, putting parts of Yagoona, Birrong, Potts Hill, Sefton, Bass Hill, Chester Hill and Regents Park into the Auburn electorate, now held by Labor MP Lynda Voltz.
Auburn would then lose Silverwater, Newington, Sydney Olympic Park, Wentworth Point, and part of Lidcombe to the neighbouring Parramatta electorate, while South Granville, Merrylands, Guildford and Chester Hill would go to the Granville electorate held by Labor MP Julia Finn.
The proposed changes will also see Granville lose Clyde as well as parts of Granville, Guildford and Guildford West to the Fairfield electorate.
Vowing to continue to fight “for the long promised but yet to be delivered Sydney Olympic Park High School and the completion of Peninsula Park”, Ms Voltz said that as an old Birrong Girls High School and Birrong Public School alumni, she already knew the suburbs proposed in the draft redistribution well.
“Whatever the final boundaries of the seat of Auburn, I will always fight to get our fair share for the electorate I am honoured to represent.”
Although the changes are not big for Granville, Ms Finn said the redistribution included returning some areas to the seat and would make it “much safer for Labor”.
“I never take anything for granted and look forward to working with new communities and new challenges,” she said.
Submissions on the changes close December 9, with public comment then open December 10-23, at elections.nsw.gov.au/redistribution.
