Labor has proposed Attorney-General Christian Porter's electorate of Pearce be abolished under a redistribution that will see Western Australia lose a seat. Population changes mean WA will have 15 seats at the next federal election, down from 16 at the 2016 poll. The Australian Electoral Commission has asked for comment on how to achieve this. WA Labor's proposal is to abolish Pearce and redistribute its voters into neighbouring seats, which have low growth projections and are below the voter quota. This could be done with minimal disruption to as many electors as possible, it said. "Only minimal changes are proposed to the divisions of Curtin, Durack, O'Connor and Perth," the Labor submission said. "WA Labor's submission better aligns communities of interest in Perth's northern and eastern metropolitan and peri-urban areas, while creating seats that are better able to withstand future growth and therefore minimise the need for further disruption for Western Australian electors." The Liberals have proposed the abolition of the seat of Cowan, held by Labor backbencher Anne Aly. "Only six divisions (seats) would see major change," the party said in its submission. "Perth would lose 15.6 per cent of its enrolment as projected within its current boundaries. "Burt would lose 23.5 per cent, Moore would lose 24 per cent and Hasluck 32.9 per cent. Pearce would lose nearly half its electors and Cowan would of course disappear." The party said it was also drawn to the principle of last-in, first-off which would put an end to the most recently created seat of Burt, held by Labor's Matt Keogh. However, voter enrolment projections cast serious doubt on whether this would be feasible, the Liberal submission said. Australian Associated Press
