Division of Bendigo

Last updated

Bendigo
Australian House of Representatives Division
Division of Bendigo 2022.png
Division of Bendigo in Victoria, as of the 2022 federal election
Created1901
MP Lisa Chesters
Party Labor
Namesake Bendigo, Victoria
Electors 112,498 (2022)
Area5,496 km2 (2,122.0 sq mi)
DemographicProvincial

The Division of Bendigo is an Australian electoral division in the state of Victoria. The division was proclaimed in 1900, and was one of the original 65 divisions to be contested at the first federal election. It is named for the city of Bendigo.

Contents

The division is situated on the northern foothills of the Great Dividing Range in North Central Victoria. It covers an area of approximately 5,496 square kilometres (2,122 sq mi) and provides the southern gateway to the Murray–Darling basin. In addition to the city of Bendigo, other large population centres in the division include Castlemaine, Heathcote, Kyneton and Woodend. [1]

The current Member for the Division of Bendigo, since the 2013 federal election, is Lisa Chesters, a member of the Australian Labor Party.

Geography

Since 1984, federal electoral division boundaries in Australia have been determined at redistributions by a redistribution committee appointed by the Australian Electoral Commission. Redistributions occur for the boundaries of divisions in a particular state, and they occur every seven years, or sooner if a state's representation entitlement changes or when divisions of a state are malapportioned. [2]

History

The city of Bendigo, the division's namesake Central bendigo from botanic gardens.jpg
The city of Bendigo, the division's namesake

In the early years of federation the seat consisted of little more than Bendigo itself, but on later boundaries the seat has included towns such as Echuca, Castlemaine, Maryborough and Seymour.

Bendigo has been a marginal seat, changing hands regularly between the Labor Party and the conservative parties; typically mirroring voting patterns in state elections. [3] However, it has remained a Labor seat since the 1998 federal election.

Unlike most marginal seats, Bendigo is not a barometer for winning government. Since 1949, all but one of its members has spent at least one term in opposition. Indeed, during two elections that saw a change of government, it elected an opposition MP.

Its most notable members include its first representative, Sir John Quick, who was a leading federalist, and Prime Minister Billy Hughes who, although from Sydney, represented Bendigo for two terms at a time when the federal Parliament met in Melbourne, and who moved to the seat after leaving the Labor Party over conscription, holding the seat as the leader of the Nationalist Party.

John Brumby, who held the seat from 1983 to 1990, would subsequently be elected to the Victorian Legislative Council in 1993. He then transferred to the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Broadmeadows a few months later, after being elected Victorian Opposition Leader, a position he would hold until 1999. After serving as a senior state minister under Steve Bracks, Brumby went on to become Premier of Victoria from 2007 to 2010.

Brumby was defeated in Bendigo at the 1990 election by a former state Legislative Councillor, Bruce Reid, who retained the seat narrowly in 1993 and 1996, before retiring at the 1998 election, when a 4.3% swing delivered the seat to Labor's Steve Gibbons. Reid has a minor claim to fame through being the third candidate in the contest for Liberal leadership between John Hewson and John Howard after the party's 1993 election defeat. Reid attracted one vote, presumably his own. [3]

Members

ImageMemberPartyTermNotes
  John Quick - W. Vincent Kelly (cropped).jpg Sir John Quick
(1852–1932)
Protectionist 29 March 1901
1906
Previously held the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Sandhurst. Served as minister under Deakin. Lost seat
  Independent Protectionist 1906 –
26 May 1909
  Liberal 26 May 1909 –
23 April 1913
  John Arthur - Swiss Studios (cropped).jpg John Arthur
(1875–1914)
Labor 31 May 1913
9 December 1914
Served as minister under Fisher. Died in office
  Alfred Hampson.png Alfred Hampson
(1864–1924)
6 February 1915
5 May 1917
Previously held the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Bendigo East. Lost seat
  Billy Hughes 1919.jpg Billy Hughes
(1862–1952)
Nationalist 5 May 1917
16 December 1922
Previously held the Division of West Sydney. Served as Prime Minister from 1915 to 1923. Transferred to the Division of North Sydney
  Geoffry Hurry.jpg Geoffry Hurry
(1868–1951)
16 December 1922
12 October 1929
Lost seat
  Richard Keane 1931-02 (cropped).jpg Richard Keane
(1881–1946)
Labor 12 October 1929
19 December 1931
Lost seat. Later elected to the Senate in 1937
  Eric Fairweather Harrison.jpg Eric Harrison
(1880–1948)
United Australia 19 December 1931
21 September 1937
Did not contest in 1937. Failed to win pre-selection for the Division of Deakin
  George Rankin.jpg George Rankin
(1887–1957)
Country 23 October 1937
31 October 1949
Transferred to the Senate
  Percy Clarey.png Percy Clarey
(1890–1960)
Labor 10 December 1949
17 May 1960
Previously a member of the Victorian Legislative Council. Died in office
  NoelBeaton1961.jpg Noel Beaton
(1925–2004)
16 July 1960
9 April 1969
Resigned to retire from politics
  David Kennedy.png David Kennedy
(1940–)
7 June 1969
2 December 1972
Lost seat. Later elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Bendigo. First person from an Indigenous background to be elected to the House of Representatives
  John Bourchier.jpg John Bourchier
(1929–2017)
Liberal 2 December 1972
5 March 1983
Served as Chief Government Whip in the House under Fraser. Lost seat
  John Brumby.jpg John Brumby
(1953–)
Labor 5 March 1983
24 March 1990
Lost seat. Later elected to the Victorian Legislative Council in 1993
  Liberal Placeholder.png Bruce Reid
(1935–2020)
Liberal 24 March 1990
31 August 1998
Previously a member of the Victorian Legislative Council. Retired
  Steve Gibbons.jpg Steve Gibbons
(1949–2022)
Labor 3 October 1998
5 August 2013
Retired
  Lisa Chesters with volunteers.jpg Lisa Chesters
(1980–)
7 September 2013
present
Incumbent

Election results

2022 Australian federal election: Bendigo [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labor Lisa Chesters 42,88342.98−0.63
Liberal Darin Schade26,57626.63−5.15
Greens Cate Sinclair14,02614.06+3.15
One Nation Ben Mihail5,5085.52−0.72
Independent James Laurie4,3194.33+4.33
United Australia Elijah Suares3,5793.59−0.74
Liberal Democrats Matt Bansemer2,8882.89+2.89
Total formal votes99,77996.36+0.46
Informal votes3,7643.64−0.46
Turnout 103,54392.16−2.15
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Lisa Chesters 61,96862.11+3.26
Liberal Darin Schade37,81137.89−3.26
Labor hold Swing +3.26

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Corangamite</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Corangamite is an Australian electoral division in the state of Victoria. The division was proclaimed in 1900, and was one of the original 65 divisions to be contested at the first federal election. It is named for Lake Corangamite, although the lake no longer falls within the division's boundaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Aston</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Aston is an Australian Federal Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. The division is located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, coextensive with the City of Knox local government area. The suburbs in the division include Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully, Knoxfield, Rowville, Scoresby, The Basin, Wantirna and Wantirna South; and parts of Lysterfield, Sassafras and Upper Ferntree Gully.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Ballarat</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Ballarat is an Australian electoral division in the state of Victoria. The division was proclaimed in 1900, and was one of the original 65 divisions to be contested at the first federal election. It was named for the provincial city of the same name by Scottish squatter Archibald Yuille, who established the first settlement − his sheep run called Ballaarat − in 1837, with the name derived from a local Wathawurrung word for the area, balla arat, thought to mean "resting place".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Bruce</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Bruce is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. The division is located in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. It covers an area of approximately 115 square kilometres (44 sq mi) including the suburbs of Dandenong North, Doveton, Endeavour Hills, Eumemmerring, Hallam, Lysterfield South, Narre Warren, and Narre Warren North; and parts of Berwick, Dandenong, Harkaway, Mulgrave, Narre Warren South, Noble Park, and Noble Park North.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Corio</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Corio is an Australian electoral division in the state of Victoria. The division was proclaimed in 1900, and was one of the original 65 divisions to be contested at the first federal election. Named for Corio Bay, it has always been based on the city of Geelong, although in the past it stretched as far east as the outer western suburbs of Melbourne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Deakin</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Deakin is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Melbourne</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Melbourne is an Australian electoral division in the State of Victoria, represented since the 2010 election by Adam Bandt, leader of the Australian Greens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Jagajaga</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Jagajaga is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, and lies north of the Yarra River. It covers an area of approximately 104 square kilometres and comprises the suburbs of Bellfield, Briar Hill, Diamond Creek, Eaglemont, Greensborough, Heidelberg, Heidelberg Heights, Heidelberg West, Ivanhoe, Ivanhoe East, Lower Plenty, Montmorency, Plenty, Rosanna, St Helena, Viewbank, Yallambie, Watsonia and Watsonia North; and parts of Bundoora, Eltham, Eltham North, Hurstbridge, Macleod, Wattle Glen and Yarrambat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Maribyrnong</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Maribyrnong is an Australian electoral division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the inner north-western suburbs of Melbourne. Suburbs include Aberfeldie, Airport West, Avondale Heights, Essendon, Footscray, Gowanbrae, Keilor East, Maribyrnong, Moonee Ponds, Niddrie, West Footscray and Tullamarine. Due to redistributions, the division has been slowly moving west and changed with the introduction of the Division of Fraser in 2018. According to the 2011 census, Maribyrnong has the highest proportion of Catholics in any Commonwealth Electoral Division in Australia with 41.6% of the population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Lalor</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Lalor is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. Located in the south-western suburbs of Melbourne, it includes the south-western hub of Werribee as well as the suburbs of Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit, Truganina, Wyndham Vale and part of Point Cook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Reid</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Reid is an Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Richmond (Victoria)</span> State electoral district of Victoria, Australia

Richmond is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. It is currently a 13 km2 electorate in the inner east of Melbourne, encompassing the suburbs of Richmond, Cremorne, Burnley, Abbotsford, Collingwood, Clifton Hill, North Fitzroy and Fitzroy. Historically a very safe seat for the Labor Party, Richmond has in recent elections become increasingly marginal against the Greens, who eventually won the seat at the 2022 Victorian state election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Altona</span> State electoral district of Victoria, Australia

The electoral district of Altona was one of the electoral districts of Victoria, Australia, for the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It covered an area of 79 square kilometres (31 sq mi) in western Melbourne, and included the suburbs of Altona, Altona Meadows, Laverton, Point Cook, Seabrook and Seaholme. It also included the RAAF Williams airbase and the Point Cook Coastal Park. It lay within the Western Metropolitan Region of the upper house, the Legislative Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Geelong</span> State electoral district of Victoria, Australia

The electoral district of Geelong is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It centres on inner metropolitan Geelong and following the June 2013 redistribution of electoral boundaries includes the suburbs of Belmont, Breakwater, East Geelong, Geelong, Geelong West, Newtown and South Geelong, Herne Hill, Manifold Heights, Newcomb, Newtown, St Albans Park, Thomson, Whittington and part of Fyansford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Broadmeadows</span> State electoral district of Victoria, Australia

The electoral district of Broadmeadows is an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It covers an area of 47 square kilometres (18 sq mi) in outer northern Melbourne, and includes the suburbs of Broadmeadows, Campbellfield, Coolaroo, Dallas, Fawkner, Jacana and Meadow Heights. It also includes parts of Glenroy, Roxburgh Park, Somerton, and Westmeadows. It lies within the Northern Metropolitan Region of the upper house, the Legislative Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Bendigo East</span> State electoral district of Victoria, Australia

Bendigo East is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. It covers an area of 2,711 square kilometres (1,047 sq mi) covering the part of the city of Bendigo east of the Yungera railway line and surrounding rural areas to the north, east and south. It includes the Bendigo suburbs of East Bendigo, Epsom, Flora Hill, Junortoun, Kennington, Quarry Hill, Spring Gully, Strathdale, Strathfieldsaye and White Hills, and the surrounding towns of Axedale, Goornong, Huntly, Mandurang, Raywood and Sedgwick. It also includes parts of the localities of Eaglehawk, Elmore, Golden Square and Ravenswood, and the Bendigo campus of La Trobe University. It lies within the Northern Victoria Region of the upper house, the Legislative Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Bendigo West</span> State electoral district of Victoria, Australia

Bendigo West is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. It is a 1,524 square kilometres (588 sq mi) electorate centred on the city of Bendigo west of the Yungera railway line, and including surrounding rural towns to the west and south-west. It encompasses the localities of Bendigo City, California Gully, Castlemaine, Harcourt, Long Gully, Maldon, Marong, Newstead and West Bendigo. It also includes parts of the Bendigo suburbs of Eaglehawk, Golden Square and Kangaroo Flat. It lies within the Northern Victoria Region of the upper house, the Legislative Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Werribee</span> State electoral district of Victoria, Australia

The electoral district of Werribee is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. It has existed in two incarnations, first from 1976 to 2002, and was created again in the 2013 redistribution and came into effect at the 2014 state election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Fraser (Victoria)</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Fraser is an Australian electoral division in the state of Victoria, which was contested for the first time at the 2019 federal election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Results of the 2019 Australian federal election in Victoria</span>

This is a list of electoral division results for the 2019 Australian federal election in the state of Victoria. Victoria bucked the national trend, seeing a swing from the Coalition to Labor, whereas the swing across Australia was from Labor to the Coalition.

References

  1. "Profile of the electoral division of Bendigo (Vic)". Current federal electoral divisions. Australian Electoral Commission. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  2. Muller, Damon (14 November 2017). "The process of federal redistributions: a quick guide". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  3. 1 2 Green, Antony (11 October 2013). "Federal election 2013: Bendigo results". Australia Votes. Australia: ABC . Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  4. Bendigo, VIC, 2022 Tally Room, Australian Electoral Commission.

36°54′04″S144°10′55″E / 36.901°S 144.182°E / -36.901; 144.182