NEW-LOOK CORANGAMITE BATTLE LINES DRAWN
Cox name backflip Leopold in, Highton, Belmont, Colac out
THE race to win the seat of Corangamite has tightened after yesterday’s ruling to officially cut Colac, Highton and Belmont from its redrawn boundaries.
However, a proposal to rename the federal seat, held by Liberal MP Sarah Henderson, has been dumped after widespread backlash at the planned name of Cox.
The redrawn boundaries will also reshape the battle between Ms Henderson and Labor candidate Libby Coker.
A PROPOSAL to rename the federal electorate of Corangamite has been dumped.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) yesterday announced it would abandon a move to rename the electorate Cox in honour of swimming figure May Cox, following a backlash against the proposed name change.
More than 120 objections were received by the AEC regarding the proposed name, with 28 alternative electorate names put forward.
An AEC report noted the return to the name Corangamite was supported by objectors seeking the retention of both an aboriginal and Federation name — despite the eponymous Lake Corangamite now sitting outside of the electorate following boundary changes.
“The augmented Electoral Commission therefore concluded it would be appropriate to retain the name of the electoral division, noting that the meaning of Corangamite as ‘bitter’ and relating to the saltiness of Lake Corangamite, is equally appropriate to a coastally focused electoral division,” the report noted.
“Doing so will also allow for the retention of a Federation name and an Aboriginal name.”
Those objecting to the name Cox had also argued May Cox did not have enough connection to the region, and raised concerns the name Cox was a euphemism for penis.
Corangamite federal Liberal MP Sarah Henderson was at the forefront of a push to abandon the proposed renaming of the electorate, claiming it would provide people with an excuse to have a laugh at her expense.
“I say this not on some hypothetical basis — but as someone who has been subjected to ongoing ridicule, taunts and laughter since the proposed name was made public,” Ms Henderson said at an inquiry into the proposed redistribution of electoral divisions held in Winchelsea earlier this month.
“Two weeks ago, I attended a dinner with parliamentary colleagues, stakeholders and journalists — and the main topic of conversation was my proposed new name, the Member for Cox. There was much laughter and many inappropriate connotations which flowed at my expense.”
The AEC report rubbished concerns around Cox being a homonym for male genitalia.
“It is unreasonable to suggest that worthy individuals who have names that a small section of the community may consider suggestive should not be recognised, and notes that objections which argue this are disrespectful to May Cox, her family and those whose surname is ‘Cox’,” the report stated.
“The augmented Electoral Commission considers Australia a sufficiently mature and open-minded society to recognise the achievements of a worthy individual over any subjective innuendo in the name.”
While Ms Henderson was successful in pushing for the name change, she was unable to convince the Commission to abandon its plan to sever the Liberalsupporting Colac region from her electorate just months before an expected election.
But, the proposed redistribution was slightly altered, with Barunah Park, Barunah Plains and Wingeel returned to the electorate of Corangamite after being initially placed in neighbouring Wannon.
The Australian Electoral Commission’s proposed boundaries for Corangamite will send Colac to the Wannon electorate in the west, while merging a chunk of Geelong’s southern suburbs — including Highton and Belmont — into the Corio electorate.
Corangamite will also now include all of the Bellarine, east of Moolap.
No further public input will be sought by the commission following
yesterday’s announcement. The names and boundaries of the federal electoral divisions for Victoria will apply from Friday, July 13, 2018 when a notice of determination is published in the Commonwealth Government Notices Gazette.
Labor candidate for Corangamite Libby Coker said she was pleased the new boundaries would unite communities.
“This is a great opportunity for me to speak with communities about Labor’s commitment to deliver more secure jobs for more people, better funding of TAFE and local schools and protect Medicare and our ABC,” Ms Coker said.
“I also want people to know that Labor is committed to ending live sheep exports, fixing Turnbull’s NBN and reducing the impact of climate change on the Great Ocean Road. ”
Ms Henderson said she was “extremely pleased” with the name change and “incredibly disappointed” to have lost large parts of her former electorate — including the Colac region, Belmont, Highton and parts of Grovedale.
“My first mission is to develop a comprehensive plan for the entire Bellarine Peninsula to tackle the unacceptable level of growth, coupled with inadequate infrastructure.”
Colac Otway Shire mayor Joe McCracken was frustrated Colac wasn’t returned to the Corangamite electorate, claiming the two had more in common with Geelong than with the region to its west.
“Clearly, we’ve put a lot of energy into G21, the Princes Highway duplication to Geelong and a range of other strategic work aimed at maximising opportunity for Colac in partnership with its eastern neighbours,” Cr McCracken said.