Melbourne Ports likely to stay ‘Jewish’
THE bulk of Melbourne's Jewish community will remain within the federal seat of Melbourne Ports, thanks to Labor Party pressure. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has reviewed its initial proposal to move voters in Caulfield, Caulfield North, Caulfield South and Elsternwick into the neighbouring electorates of Higgins and Goldstein.
THE bulk of Melbourne’s Jewish community will remain within the federal seat of Melbourne Ports, thanks to Labor Party pressure.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has reviewed its initial proposal to move voters in Caulfield, Caulfield North, Caulfield South and Elsternwick into the neighbouring electorates of Higgins and Goldstein.
The proposal will now go back to the community, with a public inquiry due on Monday, November 8. A final decision will be made at the end of December.
The initial proposal would have seen large swathes on the eastern fringe of Melbourne Ports stuck onto Higgins, with a similar-sized section of Higgins, incorporating South Yarra and Prahran, stuck onto Melbourne Ports.The Labor Party objected to the suggested changes to Melbourne Ports. The AJN understands that one reason was to strangle The Greens. A senior Labor source said under the initial boundary change suggestion, it is likely more Greens supporters would have voted in the electorate.
The change means that The Greens — who have openly said they are eyeing off the seat when local MP Michael Danby decides to retire — are expected to be less able to make headway in Melbourne Ports.
“A long-term effect of this is that The Greens will never cross the Yarra,” the party figure told The AJN.
In his own submission to the AEC, Danby said another effect of dividing the electorate would be to split the Jewish community.
Following last week’s AEC announcement Danby said he was pleased he would, in all likelihood, retain the bulk of the community.
“Unfortunately we lose valued constituents ‚Ķ but the redistribution commission had to cut some constituents as the law determines that electorates should have roughly the same population and Ports is over quota and Goldstein is under quota”¬† said Danby.
“The projected changes are welcome, and reflect the community interests of retaining the connections many of the constituents have to this area and I am pleased that I will continue to represent them into the future.
NAOMI LEVIN