General News
24 March, 2026
Backlash over boundaries
A PROPOSED electorate redistribution in Far North Queensland will be officially opposed by the Mareeba Shire Council because of its impact on both local government advocacy and the community.
In last week’s meeting, Cr Nipper Brown called for a motion that Council relay to the Queensland Electoral Redistribution Commission its strong objections, including the prospect of Mareeba Airport being jettisoned into the new mega-electorate of Flinders.
“I believe (the redistribution) has some major ramifications for our ratepayers, so I believe we should, and I would like to propose, that we submit our objection to the State Government,” he said.
The proposed new boundaries were announced over a week ago, with the draft now open to objections or comment before 9 April.
The proposal was first brought to public attention earlier this year, in a redistribution submission by the LNP, which called for the removal of Hill, represented by KAP state member Shane Knuth, and for it to be carved up across coastal and inland electorates.
The electorate of Cook, which covers the Mareeba Shire and is represented by David Kempton, would lose a section of Dimbulah, Chillagoe, and even the Wylandra Estate on the border of the Mareeba township, as well as the airport.
“The Wylandra Estate, Ray Road and the airport will be in Flinders, so if we want to talk to someone about them we’ll have fly into Mt Isa,” Cr Brown said.
Council members added their objections, with Cr Mary Graham angry over the apparent lack of knowledge of regional areas.
“This looks like someone has sat at a desk in Brisbane and just realigned a few things and hasn’t a clue where we are,” she said.
Cr Mladen Bosnic said the changes would create more work for council.
“It’s a case where, when we advocate for services, we used to go to one representative; now we (would have) to go to two. “It’s an impost on the council in our administrative role, an ill-thought-out decision.”
Cr Ross Cardillo also opposed the movement of electorates which favoured the state’s south.
“Unfortunately, we lose representation in Far North Queensland, and they gain more representation in the southeast corner where they really don’t need it.”
Councillors unanimously carried the motion that: “Council make a formal submission on the proposed electoral boundary change regarding the exclusion of suburbs of Mareeba and the townships of Dimbulah and Chillagoe.”
Mayor Angela Toppin said after the meeting the proposed changes would mean having to work with multiple members of parliament.
“At the moment, we have David Kempton just across the road,” she said.
“And it is not just us. Who do the community go to? They go to their local state member.
“People living in Wylandra, they’re just five minutes down the road, they won’t know who that is. Their representative will be based in Flinders and that’s a huge electorate.”
“It’s the same with our airport. We’d have to go to Mt Isa.”
Despite it being two years before the redistribution comes into play, “it will happen,” chief executive officer Peter Franks added.
But trying to understand the rationale behind the boundary changes was difficult.
“It’s either add more state politicians and add more electorates, which is not what we want. And you can understand they had to do the redistribution with the growth, the population, in South-east Queensland. But where they’ve drawn the boundaries?” he said.
“Where possible, they should, especially in the rural areas, look at local government boundaries. Because your local member needs to work closely with the Mayor of the council.”
While big cities can deal with multiple electorates, remote areas are very different.
“In a remote area, it should be, where possible, a single local government area in a single electorate.”
Over in Atherton, which, along with Tolga, Yungaburra, Walkamin, Barrine, Tinaroo and Kairi, would be enveloped in the Flinders electorate, Tablelands Regional Council Mayor Rod Marti advised a council meeting last week that a letter from himself and chief executive officer Nikola Stepanov had been sent to the Commission contesting the proposal to abolish Hill and divide it into Mulgrave and Flinders.
“For those people living in those towns who are going into Flinders, it will be impossible to have good representation,” Mayor Marti said.
How you can object:
Objections to the proposed redistribution can be submitted until 9 April to the Queensland Redistribution Commission at QRCsubmissions@ecq.qld.gov.au or by mail to Queensland Redistribution Commission, GPO Box 1393, Brisbane QLD 4001.
An online petition opposing the abolishment of Hill can be signed by going to www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Petitions/current/
