Teal MP Kylea Tink’s federal seat of North Sydney scrapped under sweeping AEC changes.

By ANNA USHER

A sweeping plan to move more than 700,000 voters to different federal seats is set to impact the political landscape in key Sydney electorates.

Independent MP for North Sydney, Kylea Tink, will have her seat abolished at the next federal election under a draft shuffle of boundaries announced on Friday.

It means North Sydney voters will be re-distributed to the nearby electorates of Bradfield, Bennelong, Bradfield, and Warringah.

Australia’s Electoral Commissioner, Tom Rogers, said the NSW redistribution was required to enable a decrease from 47 to 46 electoral divisions.

“Under the proposal, some significant changes would occur, with the boundaries of New South Wales divisions being amended to accommodate the decrease,” Mr Rogers said.

“Forty-five of the existing 47 division names would be retained.”

In other changes, Liberal shadow treasurer Angus Taylor’s seat of Hume would move further into the outskirts of Sydney and shed the regional centre of Goulburn.

Goulburn will move into the Labor-held seat of Eden-Monaro, which was won by Kristy McBain in 2020.

The seat of Cook, formerly held by former prime minister Scott Morrison, would be renamed to jointly honour Captain James Cook and Australia’s sixth prime minister, Joseph Cook.

The draft redistribution will expand the neighbouring seat of Warringah, held by Zali Steggall, into suburbs such as Cremorne and North Sydney.

Ms Steggall said she was “very disappointed” by the proposal to scrap North Sydney and said her electorate would gain 36,000 voters under the plan.

“These are quite substantial changes … I think there will be a lot for Kylea to consider,” Ms Steggall said on Friday.

In a statement, Ms Tink said while disappointed by the draft boundary announcement, she would remain a “proud independent representative for the people of North Sydney”.

“This has never been about. Me,” she said.

“May 2022 was a turning point in Australian federal politics, and North Sydney was one of the first communities to stand up that year for independent representation.”

“The North Sydney community will continue to experience the same level of representation that they’ve had over the past two years.”

“I remain committed to the independent political movement and will continue to support it wherever and whenever I can.”

Objections to the changes must be submitted by July 12, with a final determination handed down in October.