North Sydney seat to be abolished in shake-up
The Federal seat of Mackellar will gain 15,257 electors in the suburbs of Dee Why, North Curl Curl, Forestville and Killarney Heights under a proposed NSW redistribution.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) announced its plan on 14 June to abolish North Sydney in its attempt to reduce NSW seats in the House of Representatives by one.
This would see the boundaries of Mackellar, currently held by Independent Sophie Scamps, move west in an attempt to increase electors in that seat, which is under quota. Warringah also needs to gain some 21,000 electors, which it would take from North Sydney.
Dr Scamps has said it was ‘good news’ that the suburbs of Dee Why and Forestville, which were previously divided between two electorates, had been reunited. “Having suburbs split is undesirable and something that the AEC tries hard to avoid as it strives to maintain cohesion within communities of interest.”
The electorates of Mackellar, Warringah and North Sydney are all held by ‘teal’ community independents who were supported financially at the 2022 Federal Election by the environment-focussed Climate 200 group. Dr Scamps said the loss of the North Sydney seat ‘was not an outcome any of us in the community independent movement wished for’.
“Kylea Tink is a much loved and powerful champion for the people of North Sydney and it’s a devastating blow for her and her supporters who have worked so hard to pursue a more genuine form of representation,” Dr Scamps told Peninsula Living Pittwater (PL).
Dr Scamps, a former GP who narrowly ousted Jason Falinski from his safe Liberal seat, now holds Mackellar by a mere 2.5 per cent, a margin which essentially remains unchanged under the proposed boundary change. It is understood the Liberals are planning a strong campaign to regain the seat in the next Federal Election, which will likely take place in the first half of 2025.
Once the redistribution becomes official – expected to be in October – Dr Scamps, who has lived in the electorate for 25 years, plans to ‘put on her sneakers’ and start door knocking to meet her new constituents.
“I’ve already been heavily involved in the Dee Why community,” Dr Scamps told PL, “particularly through my advocacy work supporting community groups based there, such as the Tibetan community, domestic violence organisations and mental health groups.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting with the new Mackellar communities.”
