Former Victorian parliamentarian Ken Jasper says Rutherglen has more in common with Wangaratta and Yarrawonga than Wodonga. Picture: TARA GOONAN
“CRAZY” is how retired politician Ken Jasper has labelled plans to take Rutherglen out of the Murray Valley electorate.
The retired Nationals member represented the seat for more than 34 years, until 2010, and still calls the town home.
Mr Jasper, 74, said a shift of electorates would be a huge change.
He was concerned that no one from the National Party bothered to seek his opinion.
“It is just a better fit,” he said yesterday.
“Rutherglen has greater ties with Wangaratta and Yarrawonga than it has with Wodonga and the plan’s to put it in the Benambra electorate.
“It has links to similar agricultural pursuits with other towns and districts under the existing boundary.
“I can’t see any advantage in shifting Rutherglen into Benambra.
“Leave the boundaries where they are.”
Voter numbers were within the tolerances of the electoral boundary commission, he said.
Murray Valley has been held by the Country/National party since it was created in 1945, while Benambra has been a Liberal stronghold since 1976.
Mr Jasper accepted there were some synergies in electorates taking responsibility for whole shires and admitted there was confusion with some parts of Indigo Council being in Benambra while others, like Rutherglen, were in Murray Valley.
“That is an anomaly that has existed since the amalgamation of councils and is difficult to reconcile — in many ways Rutherglen is detached from Indigo,” he said.
“Walk down the main street of Rutherglen and ask locals when was the last time they visited Beechworth — there really is little or no relationship between the two.”
