After being forced to endure a significant shake-up following the abolition of the seat of Gwydir prior to the last election, there were fears when a new redistribution was announced this year that western NSW would be made a political scapegoat yet again.

When the proposed redistribution boundaries were announced in August I was quite concerned not only over the fact that the electorate was to triple in size, but that the Wellington and Mid-Western Regional Local Government Areas (LGAs) would be carved up and allocated to neighbouring electorates.

This also concerned a large number of local residents, who submitted a raft of verbal and written submissions to the Australian Electoral Commission outlining the significant social, economic and geographic ties that towns such as Mudgee and Wellington have with centres within the Parkes electorate.

Following an inquiry into the proposed boundaries by the AEC that concluded a fortnight ago it was announced last week that after consideration of all matters brought before the electoral commission it had acceded to a number of objections to better reflect community of interest and travel and communication issues.

The final result is that the Forbes and Parkes LGAs will remain in the Division of Calare and, in a compensating change, the balance of Wellington and Mid-Western Regional LGAs, proposed to transfer to the Division of Calare, will remain in the Division of Parkes.

All of the Gwydir LGA

will also be transferred to the Division of Parkes while the Lachlan LGA will be united in the Division of Parkes.

After having served as the local member for such wonderful towns as Gunnedah, Rylstone and Kandos I am particularly saddened to be losing them.

However, I am very excited about the electorate taking in areas such as the Lachlan and Gwydir LGAs.