Greens federal lower house MP Adam Bandt has emerged with a political headache from the redrawn Victorian boundaries, with his inner-north home soon to be part of Labor Leader Bill Shorten's seat.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Bandt now faces the prospect of his consistent criticism of politicians who live outside their electorate coming back to haunt him, with a federal election possible before the end of the year.
Along with thousands of other residents in the Flemington area, the Greens MP for Melbourne will be transferred into the electorate of Maribyrnong after the next election following a decision by the Australian Electoral Commission.
The boundary re-alignment also delivers thousands of Greens voters into the Labor leader’s seat which, along with the gentrification of the inner-west and north-west, is expected to tip Maribyrnong from a safe Labor seat to a marginal one in the next few electoral cycles.
Mr Bandt told The Age that he and his family would not be rushing into any decisions as a result of the redistribution, which was confirmed on Wednesday and leaves him living about 300 metres outside his own seat.
In a statement, Mr Bandt blamed Labor rather than the Electoral Commission, for putting him in the political dilemma, saying Labor had “pushed” to move Flemington into Maribyrnong.
But senior ALP source scoffed at the idea of their party advocating a move of thousands of Greens supporters into its own leader’s seat.
There was strong community opposition to moving Flemington into Maribyrnong, with many objectors arguing that it should not be split from neighbouring Kensington or the electorate which it had formed part of for nearly 100 years.
The Commission’s Redistribution Committee acknowledged the community ties between Flemington and Kensington but decided that moving all of the Moonee Valley Council area out of the seat of Melbourne allowed it to even up numbers across the electorates of Batman, Melbourne and Wills.
Mr Bandt appeared to confirm this week that he would contest the seat of Melbourne and then re-assess his options.
“Adam and Flemington remain in the electorate right up until election day," a spokesman said.
“Adam will continue to represent all of his constituents, including residents in Flemington, right up until the next election.
“If he’s successful at the upcoming election, Adam will consider his position after that time.”
