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Boundary changes may unseat Vic minister

Benita KolovosAAP
Martin Pakula's seat could be abolished as part of redistribution of Victorian electoral boundaries.
Camera IconMartin Pakula's seat could be abolished as part of redistribution of Victorian electoral boundaries. Credit: AAP

Senior Victorian government minister Martin Pakula's seat is set to be abolished as part of a redistribution of the state's electoral boundaries.

The independent Electoral Boundaries Commission on Wednesday recommended the removal of three seats in Melbourne's south and southeastern suburbs.

They are Mr Pakula's seat of Keysborough, Mount Waverly, held by Labor MP Matt Fregon and Ferntree Gully, held by Liberal MP Nick Wakeling.

The seats would be replaced by three new seats in high-growth areas: Berwick, in the southeast, Greenvale in the north and Laverton in the west.

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The commission also recommends seven other seats be renamed and their boundaries are significantly shifted.

Under the proposed changes, almost one million people - or 22.8 per cent of the total number of voters - would be transferred to different districts.

The seat changes are now open for public feedback before the final boundaries are declared in late October.

The boundaries will come into effect at the next state election on November 26, 2022.

Mr Pakula is the state minister for major events, trade, tourism, racing and sport.

He was first elected as a member of the upper house for the Western Metropolitan region in 2006, before he moved to the lower house as the member for Lyndhurst in a 2013 by-election.

That seat was abolished prior to the 2014 election and largely replaced by Keysborough, which Mr Pakula retained.

He has been contacted for comment.

Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien said he wasn't interested in "discussing political lines on maps".

"At the end of the day, Victorians will decide who they want to run this state," he told reporters.

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