THE Liberal Party would like the federal seat of Indi to be radically redrawn to extend along the Murray River from near Echuca to Corryong.
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The proposal has been submitted to the Australian Electoral Commission which is redistributing electorates in Victoria to meet population growth.
The Liberals’ plan would see the Gouburn Valley seat of Murray abolished and the electorate of McEwen extended northwards to include Shepparton.
Indi would lose towns such as Eildon and Yea with its south-eastern fringe ending at Benalla but it would gain Moira Shire which covers the Murray River from near Echuca to Yarrawonga.
The Liberal Party’s Victorian director Nick Demiris told the AEC the growth of Melbourne meant seats such as Indi needed to become larger.
He said his party’s proposed rejig catered to “communities of interest”.
In her submission, member for Indi Cathy McGowan urges the AEC to retain her seat’s existing layout.
“The existing electorate boundaries capture communities of interest, whole local government areas, shared economies and industry and major population centres,” Ms McGowan stated.
She acknowledged there had been a push previously by Moira Shire to have its Tungamah district part of Murray instead of Indi.
“If the commission is in a position to support this move, I would not be opposed,” Ms Gowan wrote.
“I think it is important that wherever possible local government area boundaries should align with Commonwealth electoral boundaries.”
The Nationals do not believe Indi should be redrawn in any fashion.
The Greens are proposing slight changes at the southern end of Indi.
“We regard moving Kinglake into Casey as the best outcome for that seat,” Greens state director Clare Quinn suggested.
“This can be compensated with small areas in Moira, Euroa and Yea, which are closer, and better linked by transport routes, to Indi’s main centres.”
The redistribution will result in Victoria having 38 federal electorates compared to its existing 37.
Indi is not considered at risk of big change because its enrolment tally meets the required quota of being within 10 per cent of 106,954.
The AEC is likely to make a decision on the final make-up of the electorates in the new year with the redistribution to apply from the next federal election due in 2019.
