Upper Hunter electorate – now smaller – margin tighter

THE Upper Hunter electorate just became smaller and the margin of the seat has plummeted to just 0.5%, making it the second most marginal seat in the state.

As part of an electoral redistribution, the Liverpool Plains Shire Council area has left the seat of Upper Hunter and become part of the seat of Tamworth.

The Shires of Upper Hunter, Muswellbrook, Singleton, Dungog and parts of the Mid-north Coast remain in the electorate, but the loss of the Liverpool Plains has made the seat one of the most marginal seats in New South Wales.

David Layzell MP, who was elected to the seat in May, said the change will just make him work harder for his local community.

“The statisticians have crunched the numbers and predicted a 3 percent swing against the Nationals in this seat, to only a 0.5 percent margin,” said Mr Layzell MP.

“The Liverpool Plains is a heartland of rural voters and seat has swung more towards the urban base of Maitland and Banxton,” he explained.

“It will mean I will have to work harder to hold the seat, but working hard for my community is what I’ve focused on since becoming the local Member and that is going to continue being my focus,” David Layzell MP said.