OUT OF BOUNDS

Henderson loses Colac in electorate shake-up

THE federal seat of Corangamite is set for a name change and boundary shuffle.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) yesterday flagged ‘Cox’ as the new name for Corangamite, which is currently held by Liberal MP Sarah Henderson.

Ms Henderson’s seat is also set to lose Colac but gain parts of the Bellarine Peninsula in the draft redistribution plan.

THE federal seat of Corangamite is set for a name change and boundary shuffle for the next election.

The Australian Electoral Commission ( AEC) yesterday flagged ‘Cox’ as the new name for Corangamite, which is currently held by Liberal MP Sarah Henderson.

Ms Henderson’s seat is also set to lose Colac but gain parts of the Bellarine Peninsula in the draft redistribution plan.

Political analysts say the Geelong seat alteration and other proposed electorate changes now threaten the Turnbull Government’s majority.

Much of Corangamite’s western territory including Colac, Beeac and Cressy will become part of Wannon, held by Liberal MP Dan Tehan.

Almost all the Bellarine Peninsula will be part of the new Cox constituency, which will also include Lethbridge, Bannockburn, Inverleigh and Winchelsea in the hinterland and extend down to Apollo Bay in the south.

“I am, of course, very disappointed by the draft boundaries and the proposed change in name of the Corangamite electorate,” Ms Henderson said.

“There is a very strong case for Colac to remain in the electorate which, in many respects, is the heart and soul of this federation seat.

“Early indications are that the Colac community shares my disappointment.

“It is also a blow that so much of Geelong has been removed from the electorate.”

Objections to the proposed boundary changes can be made from now until May 4, with Colac community leaders particularly keen to remain in Corangamite or its replacement Cox constituency. Cox is named after education pioneer May Cox, who has links to Queenscliff.

Corangamite was held by the Coalition on a 3.1 per cent margin at the 2016 election, when Ms Henderson went head-tohead with Labor candidate Libby Coker.

Ms Coker was re-endorsed as the Labor candidate for the next federal election, set to take place between August 2018 and May 2019 at a time of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s choosing. Ms Coker was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Based on the 2016 polling booth figures, the new electorate of Cox is too close to call with a 50-50 two party preferred split between Ms Henderson and Ms Coker.

Deakin University political expert Geoff Robinson said the Cox electorate would be a “must-watch constituency” on election night with the result hard to predict.

“This new electorate will be one of those must-watch seats, key for whichever party forms government. You could say its almost notionally Labor with the loss of the Colac region and suburbs such as Highton.”