Elaine, 73, lives in an electoral ‘no man’s land’

During the past 40 years, her neighbourhood at Peakhurst has been shunted between state electorates, with authorities seemingly unable to work out where the residents belong.

The names of electorates also have changed frequently, adding to the confusion.

Mrs Cameron, 73, originally lived in Lawrence Street before moving to nearby Arnold Street 22 years ago.

In the latest change, following another electoral redistribution, parts of Peakhurst and Riverwood will move from the Lakemba electorate to the seat of Oatley for the state poll next year.

In a cheeky letter to the Leader which contrasted with the normal heavy political comment, Mrs Cameron told of living in ‘‘no man’s land’’ .

She likened the situation to ‘‘political hokey-pokey,’’ suggesting it was because she and her neighbours lived in public housing.

‘‘You put the left group in, you pull the left group out, you put the left group in, then you change them all about,’’ she wrote (see her letter right).

Mrs Cameron learned of the latest change ‘‘out of the blue’’ when she received an invitation to a morning tea with Oatley MP Mark Coure.

‘‘Oatley wouldn’t want us,’’ she said with a laugh.

‘‘They didn’t want Coles, much less a lot of Housing Commission yobbos.

‘‘There’s even a one-way bridge [on Boundary Road] to stop us coming over!’’

Mrs Cameron said the late Frank Walker was her local member when she moved to Peakhurst 40 years ago.

MPs since then had included Terry Griffiths, Morris Iemma and Robert Furolo.

She said Mr Griffiths (a Liberal who left parliament in disgrace and died in 2009) was the best.

‘‘However, I will never vote Liberal again,’’ Mrs Cameron said. 

‘‘They promised we would be able to buy our homes but they didn’t let me.

‘‘It was knocked down.’’

THE LETTER

Since moving to Peakhurst, we have been in the state seat of Georges River, Hurstville, Lakemba and, come next election, Oatley.

However, while all this chopping and changing goes on for our state seat, in federal elections we have always been in the seat of Banks.

These boundary changes always involve the same area, comprising many older Department of Housing dwellings and new rental properties.

I see this as ‘‘political hokey-pokey’’.

You put the left group in, you pull the left group out, you put the left group in, then you change them all about.

This way, both Labor and the Liberals share the players.

In business, a person is usually moved sideways because they are a thorn in the side of those in charge.

Are the residents of Peakhurst/Riverwood a thorn in the side of the Electoral Commission or do they simply see postcode 2210 as no man’s land?

Mrs Elaine Cameron, Peakhurst

■ Do you live in an electoral ‘‘no man’s land?