Updated
The Queensland Redistribution Commission has released
its proposal for redrawing the state's electoral boundaries, with the
extent of the proposed changes catching many MPs by surprise.
There are 19 new or renamed seats, including four extra electorates added to south-east Queensland.But why is the change necessary and what does it all mean?
What are the new electorates?
There are four additional electorates in Queensland, taking the number of seats from 89 to 93.It is the biggest electoral boundary overhaul since 1992.
There have been a number of name changes, boundary changes as well as the creation of the four extra electorates, meaning there is more to it than simply providing a list of the four new seats.
Overall, there are actually a total of six new seats (two seats have been abolished but we will get to that later).
Here is a quick rundown of the new seats:
Bancroft
A new electorate in the rapidly growing region between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.It is drawn around the population centres of North Lakes and Deception Bay.
Photo:
The Jordan electorate encompasses the growth area of Springfield. (Supplied: Qld Redistribution Commission)
Bonney
A new electorate on the Gold Coast, taking in parts of Southport, Broadwater, Gaven and Coomera electorates on the northern part of the coast.It includes the suburbs of Parkwood, Arundel, Labrador, Biggera Waters and parts of Helensvale.
Macalister
A new seat between Brisbane and the Gold Coast around Logan.Macalister absorbs parts of the Albert, Springwood and Waterford electorates, including the suburbs of Beenleigh, Eagleby and Mount Warren Park.
Jordan
Based in Ipswich, west of Brisbane, taking in the rapidly growing Springfield community.Jordan also absorbs parts of the Bundamba, Inala, Algester, Lockyer and Logan electorates.
Suburbs in Jordan include Springfield Central, Springfield Lakes, Brookwater and Augustine Heights.
Ninderry
A new Sunshine Coast electorate created because of population growth in the area.It takes in the suburbs of Bli Bli, Yandina Creek and parts of Coolum Beach, Peregian Beach and Weyba Downs.
Hill
A new electorate south of Cairns absorbing part of Dalrymple, Mulgrave and Hinchinbrook.It takes in the towns of Innisfail and Tully.
My electorate has disappeared, why?
Photo:
The new seat of Maiwar in Brisbane's inner north-west. (Supplied: Qld Redistribution Commission)
As we mentioned, two seats have been abolished.
Indooroopilly in Brisbane's inner west is gone altogether, to be absorbed into the newly named seat of Maiwar.
The north Queensland seat of Dalrymple has also been abolished. It has largely been replaced by the seat of Hill.
A number of electorates have had their names changed.
The north-western seat of Mount Isa becomes Traegar.
In Brisbane, Mt Coot-tha is absorbed into Maiwar. Ashgrove becomes Cooper. Brisbane Central gets named McConnel. The southern Brisbane suburb of Sunnybank becomes Toohey, while Yeerongpilly becomes Miller.
Glass House changes its name to Tibrogargan, and the seat of Kallangur, north of Brisbane, becomes Kurwongbah, while Pine Rivers becomes D'Aguilar.
On the Gold Coast, Albert is renamed Theodore and, to the west, Beaudesert is renamed Scenic Rim.
Infographic:
Brisbane electorates under the new redistribution.
(Supplied: Queensland Redistribution Commission)
Which parties benefit and which lose out?
Two MPs have had their electorates abolished. The LNP's Scott Emerson (Indooroopilly) and Katter's Australian Party (KAP) MP Shane Knuth (Dalrymple) will have to run in new seats.ABC election analyst Antony Green said Labor's Steven Miles will also face upheaval, with his electorate boundary shifting and his seat changing name from Mt Coot-tha to Maiwar.
"Steven Miles has a particular problem — his seat is basically split between the old Ashgrove and Indooroopilly," Green said.
Mr Emerson has indicated he will seek LNP preselection for Maiwar.
Green said Mr Knuth must also make a call about his future.
"Certainly Shane Knuth has a decision now, which seat he runs in because one of those seats, the new seat of McMaster, I think One Nation would have their eyes on that seat," he said.
After examining the boundaries and numbers, he said Labor benefited from the changes.
Green said based on votes from the last election, the redistribution would give 48 seats to Labor, 43 to the LNP, one to KAP and one to independents.
Political parties and other organisations can object and lodge appeals against both the boundaries and the names of the electorates.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said she will accept the result and the Opposition has indicated it will accept the "umpire's decision".
The commission will accept objections until close of business on March 20.
Why make changes and why so dramatic?
All electoral boundaries are tweaked from time to time but exactly when varies between jurisdictions.In Queensland, redistributions are covered by the Electoral Act. Basically, they are triggered if the number of seats change, after every three elections, or every 7.5 years (whichever is later for the last two).
Queensland was due for a redistribution, but the current Queensland Parliament took it one step further in voting last year to increase the seats from 89 to 93.
The LNP and crossbench MPs voted for the increase, Labor voted against it.
Green said the Redistribution Commission had to go for a "big bang" because the population has doubled since the last time seats were added.
"The average enrolment is getting up towards 35,000 — it was only 17,000 three decades ago," he said.
"Queensland leaves such a long time between redistributions, which means it's quite extensive change when they occur."
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