The federal seat of North Sydney could soon be abolished under a proposal from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) as current Independent member Kylea Tink remains unsure if she’ll run in a nearby seat.
The seat’s abolishment comes as the number of electorates in New South Wales will decrease from 47 to 46 for the next election amid slowing population growth in the state.
North Sydney could be spread across neighbouring electorates Warringah, Benelong and Bradfield if the proposal goes through.
The proposal came as sore news to Ms Tink, who took the seat in 2022 from Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman amid a wave of independent MPs entering parliament.
“As the proud independent representative for the people of North Sydney, I am obviously disappointed by today’s draft boundary announcement from the AEC, but this has never been about me,” Ms Tink said after the AEC first announced its proposal.
“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.”
The teal MP later spoke to the media and said she was happy to have served her community, but did not indicate if she would run in a neighbouring electorate.
“It’s very difficult for anyone to predict where they may be in 12 months’ time, let alone two years’ time or three years’ time,” she said.
“I would hope that no matter what I do in the future I will be incredibly committed to continuing to build on the work that I’ve already done.”
The current member for Bradfield, Liberal MP Paul Fletcher, told Sky News Australia he wouldn’t speculate on who would run in his seat during the next election, but continued to take a shot at Simon Holmes à Court, a convenor of Climate 200 which notoriously backs independent candidates.
“What’s important is the choice is being made by the people of Bradfield and not by an unelected billionaire’s son from Melbourne,” he said.
Independent Warringah MP Zali Steggall, who dethroned former prime minister Tony Abbott to take office in 2019, also voiced her disappointment with the AEC’s proposal.
“I’m a bit disappointed, obviously very disappointed for the proposal of cutting the division of North Sydney,” Ms Steggall said.
North Sydney’s abolishment comes alongside a proposed change to the basis for the naming of the Division of Cook, who is currently named after Captain James Cook.
The AEC will acknowledge former prime minister Joseph Cook, who led Australia from 1913 to 1914 and was a member of federal parliament from 1901 until 1921, alongside Captain Cook.
Changes are also proposed for the boundaries of Hume, Riverina and Eden-Monaro.
The abolishing of North Sydney comes as the outer areas of Greater Sydney experiencing larger population growth than the inner areas.
Approximately 12 per cent of NSW voters will change divisions under the proposal.