Electorate boundaries in the Bundaberg region leave a lot to be desired.
At the state level the electoral district of Bundaberg is an island, or enclave, surrounded by the electoral district of Burnett.
Burnett takes in Moore Park, Burnett Heads, Bargara, Innes Park, Elliott Heads and Woodgate along the coast.
It then pivots inland to take in Childers and stretches as far north as Seventeen Seventy and Agnes Waters.
What on earth do the voters of Bargara have in common with those in Childers.
This huge electoral district is unwieldy and doesn’t do justice to citizens living and working in our great region.
Tom Smith currently holds the electoral district of Bundaberg for the Labor Party, while the electoral district of Burnett is held by Stephen Bennett for the Liberal National Party.
At a federal level the electoral boundaries are no less puzzling.
The division of Hinkler doesn’t take in Moore Park Beach but does take in a sizeable chunk of Hervey Bay.
The reality is that people from Moore Park Beach would use services in Bundaberg such as the local hospital, swimming pools and shopping.
While people living in Hervey Bay would use local amenities there.
Electorates are meant to represent a coherent community not just random lines on a map.
