Muswellbrook to join New England for next election as AEC chops up map

The commission has been discussing for months which NSW seat needs to be axed as a result of Western Australia's increasing population netting it an additional MP in Canberra.

Low population growth across NSW has led to the proposed shedding of one Sydney electorate and the expansion of the New England electorate to make up for a predicted fall in population.

The commission's redistribution committee for NSW predicts New England will have 115,345 electors by April 2028, almost 400 fewer than it has now and nearly 10,000 under what it'll need to meet the quota set by parliament.

The predictions are in line with recent research by Regional Development Australia which shows Tamworth's population growth being outweighed by other towns in the region stagnating or losing population.

To get those numbers up to quota, the redistribution committee proposes giving New England the remaining portion of Gwydir Shire Council area - currently split between Parkes and New England - as well as the entirety of Muswellbrook Shire Council area.

The New England electorate's boundaries were last re-drawn in 2016. Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has held the seat since 2013.

Taking Gwydir and Muswellbrook from the current divisions of Parkes and Hunter respectively would add 13,144 new voters to Mr Joyce's district.

"I'm really excited. It's a new challenge and a continuation of the electorate down to Muswellbrook. It takes into account a lot more of the coal industry which I'm a big supporter of," the former deputy PM said.

"And then on the other side right up to North Star, right up against the Queensland border, that's an area I know very well. It just adds to the dynamism that is the seat of New England, though it's really the seat of New England and Upper Hunter now."

The New England MP previously said he expected to lose Inverell and Gwydir but gain Gunnedah and Muswellbrook, and is happy to be proven wrong.

"I'd love to have Gunnedah but I understand Parkes has to have the numbers to have the seat ... I'm very happy we've kept Inverell because we've done so much work there," Mr Joyce said.

"Tamworth's growing, Armidale's growing, Scone's growing, Inverell's growing, and now with Muswellbrook, Muswellbrook's growing, so the New England is growing."

The proposed division of New England would consist of:

The proposal released on Friday, if adopted, would not make New England lose any area within its current boundary.

The redistribution committee has proposed changing the boundaries of 39 electorates, affecting more than 710,000 voters across NSW.

Objections to the draft redistribution can be lodged until July 12.