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Reid in the balance , Ferguson not impressed

16 Sep, 2009 04:00 AM
LONG-serving federal MP Laurie Ferguson said he was ``not impressed'' by the Labor Party's apparent lack of interest that his electorate of Reid could be abolished after the next election.

The party's objection to the Australian Electoral Commission on proposed boundary redistributions for NSW did not mention Reid, which has been held by Labor since it was established in 1922.

The proposal to abolish the electorate attracted 71 objections from 280 received by the electoral commission until September 4.

The electorate, named for Sir George Reid, a founding father of the nation's Federation of states and prime minister from 1904 to 1905, it is one of Australia's most ethnically and culturally diverse.

But its population is growing so rapidly that the party's federal redistribution committee decided it would have to lose electors to neighbouring seats.

The committee also recommended renaming the neighbouring seat of Lowe as McMahon after former PM Sir William McMahon, in keeping with the convention of naming new electorates after former prime ministers.

Mr Ferguson said: ``I am not impressed that the general secretary [of the NSW ALP] did not even contact me to discuss it.''

Mr Ferguson declined to speculate on his political future, saying only that the party's rank and file wanted to be able to choose in a preselection ballot.

Mr Ferguson might seek preselection in neighbouring Labor-held seats.

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