Dozens plead in person to retain North Sydney
Kylea Tink has made a very personal speech to an Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) inquiry in a last-ditch effort to stop her seat of North Sydney from abolition.
The embattled MP was invited to speak with four officials from the AEC’s redistribution committee, which has proposed abolishing the seat of North Sydney in a bid to decrease NSW seats by one. A total of 59 people spoke at the inquiry on 14 and 21 August, including Warringah’s Zali Steggall, Mackellar’s Sophie Scamps, and former federal attorney general Gareth Evans. In the speech, given exclusively to North Shore Living, Ms Tink said the ‘truth’ was the desire to fight to save North Sydney was a push which had come from the community. “The news of the possible abolition of our seat was devastating, not because of the potential impact it has on my current employment, but because of the impact it would have on the fabric of the place I call home,” Ms Tink said via video link from Canberra.
“My concern (is) for people who identify as being from this area and the potential this boundary redistribution has to tear that community apart.”
The proposal would see a shifting of boundaries from Mackellar right through to Bennelong, with the seats surrounding North Sydney absorbing its electors. A good chunk of North Sydney electors would find themselves in Warringah, prompting Ms Tink to say: “I do not believe the people of Kirribilli see themselves as being from the Northern Beaches.”
North Sydney Mayor Zoë Baker also spoke at the inquiry in a personal capacity, as the council had not voted on a position. Mayor Baker told NL that the AEC was not using planned population figures for its calculations. “I put to them that under our existing controls, even if you don’t take into account the current (proposed) housing reforms and housing targets, that North Sydney is planning for an additional 19,500 people by 2036, which is a 26% increase over the existing population.
“So I urged them to take into account local and state figures, because otherwise they will be doing another redistribution within five years.”
Ms Tink concluded her speech by asking the inquiry to consider her own solution – to merge Bradfield and Berowa. “I believe the community of North Sydney has, without the machinery that comes with a major party, presented an elegant alternative solution that would ensure the economic and social prosperity of this part of our country can continue to build and contribute in a positive way to our nationhood.”
It is believed the final boundary decision will be released soon.