Division of Fraser (Victoria)

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.

Fraser
Australian House of Representatives Division
Location of Fraser (dark green) in Greater Melbourne
Created2019
MPDaniel Mulino
PartyLabor
NamesakeMalcolm Fraser
Electors111,060 (2022)
Area88 km2 (34.0 sq mi)
DemographicInner metropolitan

Geography

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Federal electoral division boundaries in Australia are 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]

The electorate is located on the west side of the Maribyrnong River south of Keilor down to its confluence with the Yarra. It extends west to parts of Derrimut and Deer Park, and includes most of the local government areas of Maribyrnong and Brimbank.[2]

History

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Malcolm Fraser, the division's namesake

The division is named in honour of Malcolm Fraser, who served as Prime Minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983. Fraser had represented the Victorian federal seat of Wannon from 1955 to 1983.

The division of Fraser was created in 2018 after the Australian Electoral Commission oversaw a mandatory redistribution of divisions in Victoria.[3] Fraser was a new seat created to fill Victoria's allotment of 38 divisions, one higher than the number to which the state was previously entitled.[3] The division was originally located in the outer north-west of metropolitan Melbourne and took in the suburbs of Sunshine, Albion, St Albans and Keilor Downs, among others.[4] It was formed from parts of its neighbouring seats of Calwell, Gorton, Gellibrand and Maribyrnong.[5]

In the 2021 redistribution, Fraser was significantly adjusted, moving towards the Middle and Inner West of Melbourne from the outer suburbs; losing the suburbs of Keilor Downs, Sydenham and several others north of Taylors Road and Green Gully Road to the Division of Gorton, swapping them for parts of Deer Park and Derrimut; and shifting east to acquire the Inner West suburbs of Footscray, West Footscray, Kingsville, Seddon and parts of Yarraville from the Division of Gellibrand, and gaining Maidstone and the suburb of Maribyrnong from the Division of Maribyrnong.[2]

The seat was notionally held by the Labor Party on a margin of 20.6%, which made it a very safe seat for the party.[5] It was duly won by Daniel Mulino for Labor in the 2019 federal election, albeit with a 5.61% swing against him. However, the 2021 Federal redistribution in Victoria has increased the notional margin for Labor to 18.1%.[6][7]

Then-Opposition Leader Bill Shorten had reportedly considered moving to Fraser in the 2019 election but chose to remain in his current seat of Maribyrnong.[8]

Members

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Image Member Party Term Notes
    Daniel Mulino
(1969–)
Labor 18 May 2019
present
Previously a member of the Victorian Legislative Council. Incumbent

Election results

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2022 Australian federal election: Fraser[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Daniel Mulino 38,732 42.05 −8.73
Liberal David Wood 22,730 24.68 +0.73
Greens Bella Mitchell-Sears 17,078 18.54 +4.66
Victorian Socialists Catherine Robertson 4,429 4.81 +4.81
United Australia Keith Raymond 4,088 4.44 −2.05
One Nation Sabine de Pyle 2,695 2.93 +2.93
Liberal Democrats Anthony Cursio 2,349 2.55 +2.55
Total formal votes 92,101 95.58 +0.39
Informal votes 4,258 4.42 −0.39
Turnout 96,359 86.84 −3.26
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Daniel Mulino 61,251 66.50 −1.55
Liberal David Wood 30,850 33.50 +1.55
Labor hold Swing −1.55
 
Alluvial diagram for preference flows in the seat of Fraser in the 2022 federal election.  Y indicates at what stage the winning candidate had over 50% of the votes and was declared the winner.

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. ^ a b https://www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/Redistributions/2021/vic/final-report/files/maps-a4/2021-AEC-Victoria-A4-Fraser-Final.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ a b "Names and boundaries of federal electoral divisions in Victoria decided". Australian Electoral Commission. 20 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Map: Division of Fraser" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission.
  5. ^ a b "2017-18 Federal Redistributions - Victoria". ABC Elections. 20 June 2018.
  6. ^ "Federal redistributions finalised". 2 August 2021.
  7. ^ "2021 Federal Redistribution – Draft Boundaries for Victoria – Antony Green's Election Blog". 19 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Bill Shorten to stay member for Maribyrnong after opting out of seat swap". TheGuardian.com. 20 July 2018.
  9. ^ Fraser, VIC, 2022 Tally Room, Australian Electoral Commission.
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