Division of Casey
| Casey Australian House of Representatives Division | |
|---|---|
 Division of Casey in Victoria, as of the 2019 federal election. | |
| Created | 1969 |
| MP | Tony Smith |
| Party | Liberal |
| Namesake | Richard Casey |
| Electors | 113,324 (2019) |
| Area | 2,466 km2 (952.1 sq mi) |
| Demographic | Outer Metropolitan |
The Division of Casey is an Australian electoral division in the state of Victoria. The division was created in 1969 and is named for Richard Casey, who was Governor-General of Australia 1965–69.
The division is located in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne and extends into the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges. It covers an area of approximately 2,466 square kilometres (952 sq mi). Major suburbs and towns include Belgrave, Belgrave Heights, Belgrave South,Chirnside Park, Coldstream, Dixons Creek, Don Valley, Ferny Creek, Gladysdale, Gruyere, Healesville, Hoddles Creek, Kallista, Kalorama, Kilsyth, Kilsyth South, Launching Place, Lilydale, Lysterfield, Menzies Creek, Millgrove, Monbulk, Montrose, Mooroolbark, Mount Evelyn, Mount Dandenong, Olinda, Powelltown, Reefton, Sassafras, Selby, Seville, Seville East, Silvan, Tecoma, Upwey, Wandin, Wandin East, Warburton, Wesburn, Woori Yallock, Yarra Glen, Yarra Junction and Yellingbo.[1]
The current Member for Casey, since the 2001 federal election, is Tony Smith, a member of the Liberal Party of Australia. Smith has been Speaker of the House since 2015; he is, after Bob Halverson, the second member for this electorate to occupy the chair.
History
When it was created it was a highly marginal seat, and at the 1972 federal election it was regarded as the "litmus seat", which the Australian Labor Party had to win to gain government. Lost when the Liberals won in 1975, Labor picked it up again when Labor regained government in 1983. However, a redistribution ahead of the following year's election made Casey marginally Liberal. The Liberals retook the seat in that election and have held it since then. Demographic changes have also contributed in making Casey a fairly safe seat for the Liberal Party, although a redistribution ahead of the 2013 federal election pushed the seat further north into the upper Yarra Valley, estimated to halve the Liberal two-party preferred majority of 4.2 per cent.[2]
Prominent members to have represented Casey include Bob Halverson, who was Speaker of the House of Representatives 1996–98; Michael Wooldridge, who served as Minister for Health in the first five years of the Howard government (1996–2001); and the present MP Tony Smith, Speaker since 2015.[2]
Members
| Image | Member | Party | Term | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Peter Howson (1919–2009) |
Liberal | 25 October 1969 – 2 December 1972 |
Previously held the Division of Fawkner. Served as minister under McMahon. Lost seat | |
|
Race Mathews (1935–) |
Labor | 2 December 1972 – 13 December 1975 |
Lost seat. Later elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Oakleigh in 1979 | |
|
|
Peter Falconer (1943–) |
Liberal | 13 December 1975 – 5 March 1983 |
Lost seat | |
|
|
Peter Steedman (1941–) |
Labor | 5 March 1983 – 1 December 1984 |
Lost seat | |
|
|
Bob Halverson (1937–2016) |
Liberal | 1 December 1984 – 31 August 1998 |
Served as Speaker during the Howard Government. Retired | |
|
|
Michael Wooldridge (1956–) |
Liberal | 3 October 1998 – 8 October 2001 |
Previously held the Division of Chisholm. Served as minister under Howard. Retired | |
|
Tony Smith (1967–) |
Liberal | 10 November 2001 – present |
Served as Speaker during the Abbott and Turnbull Governments. Incumbent. Currently the Speaker of the House |
Election results
References
- ^ "Profile of the electoral division of Casey (Vic)". Current federal electoral divisions. Australian Electoral Commission. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
- ^ a b Green, Antony (11 October 2013). "Federal election 2013: Casey results". Australia Votes. Australia: ABC. Retrieved 25 November 2013.