Break O’Day residents will vote in the federal seat of Bass at the next election, after a boundary change the local council campaigned hard to win.
The Australian Electoral Commission confirmed the shift on Wednesday, moving the north-east coast municipality out of Lyons and into Bass.
It was not part of the boundaries the AEC first proposed in February.
Break O’Day Council pushed for the change during public consultation and won.
Mayor Mick Tucker said the decision recognised the community’s natural links with northern Tasmania.
“This is a really positive outcome for our community and one that simply makes sense,” Tucker said.
He said locals already travelled north for the essentials.
“Our residents regularly travel north for health care, education, employment, business, shopping and other essential services,” he said.
“We also have strong economic, tourism, transport and regional partnerships across northeast Tasmania and with Launceston.”
Bass is centred on Launceston, the region’s main hub. Tucker said the council’s case showed Break O’Day belonged there.
“Council’s submission demonstrated that Break O’Day has a much stronger community of interest with Bass than with areas to our south, particularly under the significantly revised boundaries proposed for Lyons,” he said.
He thanked the AEC for listening and said the result was a lesson for other regional communities.
“This outcome shows why it is important for regional communities to participate in consultation processes and clearly explain what works best for their communities,” he said.
The change is part of the biggest redraw of Tasmania’s electoral map in decades. More than 114,000 voters will move seats.
Glenorchy will move to Lyons, while the AEC has proposed renaming Franklin as Tongerlongeter – a change still open to public consultation.
