The Division of La Trobe is an Australian electoral division in the state of Victoria. It is a semi-urban electorate extending from the outer south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne to the westernmost areas of Gippsland. It fully incorporates the suburbs of Beaconsfield, Officer and Pakenham, the majority of Clyde North and Harkaway, and eastern portions of Berwick. The division also covers towns beyond the metropolitan area such as Beaconsfield Upper, Bunyip, Cockatoo, Emerald, Garfield, Gembrook, Koo Wee Rup, Lang Lang, Nar Nar Goon and Pakenham Upper.

La Trobe
Australian House of Representatives Division
Division of La Trobe in Victoria, as of the 2022 federal election
Created1949
MPJason Wood
PartyLiberal
NamesakeCharles La Trobe
Electors105,857 (2022)
Area1,327 km2 (512.4 sq mi)
DemographicProvincial

Geography

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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.[1]

History

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Charles La Trobe, the division's namesake

The division was proclaimed at the redistribution of 11 May 1949, and was first contested at the 1949 election. It was named after Charles La Trobe, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria. It was originally located closer to the city, but redistributions moved it further south-east. It originally included the suburbs of Croydon, Dandenong, Ferntree Gully and Ringwood.

The first person to hold the seat was Richard Casey, Baron Casey, later the sixteenth Governor-General of Australia and the last of three Australian politicians to be elevated to the British House of Lords. The Division of Casey, which borders this division to the north, is named after him. In 1961, the division was the subject of a book, Parties and People: A Survey Based on the La Trobe Electorate, by Creighton Burns.

Members

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Image Member Party Term Notes
    Richard Casey
(1890–1976)
Liberal 10 December 1949
10 February 1960
Previously held the Division of Corio. Served as minister under Menzies. Resigned to take up a seat in the British House of Lords
    John Jess
(1922–2003)
9 April 1960
2 December 1972
Lost seat
    Tony Lamb
(1939–)
Labor 2 December 1972
13 December 1975
Lost seat. Later elected to the Division of Streeton in 1984
    Marshall Baillieu
(1937–)
Liberal 13 December 1975
18 October 1980
Lost seat
    Peter Milton
(1928–2009)
Labor 18 October 1980
24 March 1990
Lost seat
    Bob Charles
(1936–2016)
Liberal 24 March 1990
31 August 2004
Retired
    Jason Wood
(1968–)
9 October 2004
21 August 2010
Lost seat
    Laura Smyth
(1976–)
Labor 21 August 2010
7 September 2013
Lost seat
    Jason Wood
(1968–)
Liberal 7 September 2013
present
Incumbent

Election results

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2022 Australian federal election: La Trobe[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jason Wood 41,786 45.58 −0.20
Labor Abi Kumar 23,918 26.09 −7.55
Greens Michael Schilling 9,980 10.89 +3.32
United Australia Merryn Mott 6,182 6.74 +3.80
One Nation Hadden Ervin 4,555 4.97 −0.62
Animal Justice Helen Jeges 2,450 2.67 +2.67
Liberal Democrats Michael Abelman 1,911 2.08 +2.08
Federation Rebecca Skinner 890 0.97 +0.97
Total formal votes 91,672 95.34 −0.11
Informal votes 4,483 4.66 +0.11
Turnout 96,155 90.89 +1.67
Two-party-preferred result
Liberal Jason Wood 53,803 58.69 +3.56
Labor Abi Kumar 37,869 41.31 −3.56
Liberal hold Swing +3.56

References

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  1. ^ Muller, Damon (14 November 2017). "The process of federal redistributions: a quick guide". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  2. ^ La Trobe, VIC, 2022 Tally Room, Australian Electoral Commission.
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37°58′16″S 145°25′26″E / 37.971°S 145.424°E / -37.971; 145.424