Liberals propose abolishing Bill Shorten's seat as part of electoral boundary reviews

EXCLUSIVE: The party is also suggesting significant changes to Melbourne and Macnamara.

The Victorian Liberal Party has formally proposed abolishing the electorate of NDIS minister Bill Shorten as part of upcoming electoral redistributions for the next federal election.

The submission from the Liberals, obtained exclusively by 6 News, calls for Gorton, Fraser and Maribyrnong (all of which are Labor-held) to be merged into two divisions, resulting in the abolition of Maribyrnong.

Shorten currently holds Maribyrnong - which has been won by Labor at every election since 1969 - with more than 62% of the two-party-preferred vote, having been first elected to the seat in 2007.

Gorton is held by Skills and Training Minister Brendan O'Connor, and Fraser is held by backbencher Daniel Mulino.

"Our suggestion is that the name Maribyrnong be abolished as the neatest and most practical option," the Liberal suggestion stated, although it was added that if preferred "we would have no objection to the name of Fraser being placed into abeyance."

Significant changes have also been proposed for Melbourne (held by Greens leader Adam Bandt) and Macnamara (held by Labor MP Josh Burns).

The Liberals are proposing that Macnamara should cross the Yarra River to take in Southbank, Docklands and Melbourne's CBD, and subsequently change its name to the Division of Melbourne.

As part of the proposal, the existing Division of Melbourne would move north and that the new name of "Peacock" be considered in honour of Lady Millie Peacock.

Millie Peacock was a United Australia Party MP in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1933 and 1935, and the first woman elected to the Victorian Parliament. Her husband was Alexander Peacock, the 20th Premier of Victoria.

Macnamara is set to be a target seat for the Greens at the next federal election, likely to be held in 2025, with boundary changes possibly giving the party additional asisstance in their campaign to win the seat.

Last month, the Sydney Morning Herald reported the NSW Liberals were 'seeking to pit teal independents against each other' as part of redistributions in that state.

The Victorian Liberals proposed no changes in Monique Ryan-held Kooyong and only a small change in Zoe Daniel-held Goldstein, which would see part of the suburbs of Hampton East, Highett & Cheltenham between the Frankston railway line and the Nepean Highway moved from the Division of Isaacs into Goldstein.

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