NSW Electoral Commission changes boundary for seat of Goulburn

Despite a reduced margin, the MP says she will recontest the 2023 election and retain properties in Goulburn and Boorowa, from where she hails.

The NSW Electoral Commission announced the redistribution on Thursday, following a long process starting last year.

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The redrawn seat excises the former Boorowa Shire, now part of Hilltops Council, and hands it to the Cootamundra electorate, held by The Nationals' Steph Cooke.

This includes 1956 voters, with the transfer taking into account projected growth in the Capital region, covering Yass, Goulburn city and Wingecarribee Shire. It will unite all of Hilltops council in the Cootamundra seat.

The redrawn boundary will cover an estimated 58,323 voters and 16,248 square metres and take effect at the 2023 election.

The redistribution, undertaken every eight years, strives to equalise the number of voters in each electorate.

The Liberal Party opposed the Goulburn change but The Nationals advocated the Hilltops shift.

Ms Tuckerman acknowledged the shake-up would reduce her margin from 3.4 per cent to about 3.1pc. Whereas the Boorowa region is traditionally a conservative stronghold, Labor won every Goulburn booth on a two candidate preferred basis at the 2019 election with high-profile candidate, Dr Ursula Stephens.

But Ms Tuckerman, a former Boorowa councillor, picked up more votes in rural areas and won the seat in 2019, taking over from Pru Goward.

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The MP said the change was expected.

"I've been honoured to represent the old Boorowa LGA and now Hilltops since 2004 (resigning earlier this year)," she said.

"I was elected by the people, know the area very well and I'm proud of everything that happened there. I'm sad not be representing it anymore but this is a big electorate."

Ms Tuckerman said she would continue to represent Goulburn and planned to recontest the seat in 2023.

She told The Post she would retain her Boorowa district property, given it had been the family home since 1997.

Since her election, Ms Tuckerman has also purchased a house in Goulburn where she lives for part of the time.

She pointed out there was no requirement for MPs to live in their electorate but she chose to do so because she wanted to be part of the community. In addition, her office is located in Goulburn.

Asked about the reduced margin, the MP said one could look at the data, but election day was the true test.

"If you work hard to represent your electorate then you hope that will count in voters' decision," she said.

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The redistribution panel based its decision on estimates that the Capital region would grow by 20,350 voters by 2029.

By 2023, it's estimated Goulburn Mulwaree will have 23,035 enrolled voters, up by 768 on 2020; 15,962 in Wingecarribee, up by 643; and 13,030 in Yass Valley, a 748 increase.

Ms Tuckerman said she understood the new boundaries' rationale, given the growth in these areas, and the need to unite LGAs. But in the north, Wingecarribee Shire Council still straddled Wollondilly and Goulburn electorates.

The panel considered community of interest, communication and travel, physical features and existing electorates, and demographic trends. It also called for public submissions.

The panel did not act on its draft proposal to transfer a portion of Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, including Collector, Currawang and parts of Tarago and Lake George) from the Monaro electorate.

Meantime, Goulburn State Electoral Council president Jason Shepherd believed the new boundary was a far better representation of the electorate.

"It was a very conservative seat and we pushed it to the brink at the last election with a high-profile candidate," he said.

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"...We made it marginal. Now the government is spending more in Goulburn and we take that as a win."

He believed with a similarly prominent candidate, Labor could take the seat in 2023.

Mr Shepherd said a number of people from Goulburn, Moss Vale and Yass Valley had expressed interest in running but the party was currently more focused on the federal seat of Hume.

He took a swipe at Ms Tuckerman for having the two homes.

"If she has the wealth to have two residences, live in two at once and claim to reside here, so be it. But I think most people see through that," Mr Shepherd said.

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