Division of Batman

Coordinates: 37°43′59″S 145°00′50″E / 37.733°S 145.014°E / -37.733; 145.014
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Batman
Australian House of Representatives Division
Division of Batman (green) in Melbourne, Victoria
Created1906
MPDavid Feeney
PartyLabor
NamesakeJohn Batman
Electors108,942 (2016)
Area66 km2 (25.5 sq mi)
DemographicInner Metropolitan

The Division of Batman is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. The division was created in 1906, replacing the Division of Northern Melbourne. It takes its name from John Batman, one of the founders of the city of Melbourne.[1]

The current Member for Batman, since the 2013 federal election, is David Feeney, a member of the Australian Labor Party.

Batman has historically been the safest Labor seat in the nation, but came narrowly within being lost to the Australian Greens at the 2016 federal election after having been overtaken by them on the primary vote.

The division is located in Melbourne's northern suburbs. It covers an area of approximately 66 square kilometres (25 sq mi) from Thomastown/Bundoora in the north to Clifton Hill in the south, with Merri Creek providing the vast majority of the western boundary and Darebin Creek, parts of Macleod and Plenty Road in Bundoora providing the eastern boundary. The suburbs of Alphington, Clifton Hill, Fairfield, Kingsbury, Northcote, Preston, Reservoir, and Thornbury; and parts of Bundoora, Coburg North, Macleod, and Thomastown are in this division.[1]

History

When it was created it covered the inner suburbs of Carlton and Fitzroy, but successive boundary changes have moved it steadily northwards. Today it includes Northcote, Preston, Reservoir and Thornbury.

Located in Labor's traditional heartland of north Melbourne, Batman has been in Labor hands for all but two terms since 1910, and without interruption since 1969. It has been held by senior Labor figures since 1977. It was held by Brian Howe from 1977 to 1996, a senior minister in the Hawke and Keating governments, and also Deputy Prime Minister 1991–95. Howe was succeeded at the 1996 election by Martin Ferguson, moving to Parliament after six years as President of the ACTU. Ferguson served as a senior Labor frontbencher, and a minister in the Rudd and Gillard governments, before resigning from the ministry in March 2013 after the failed challenge to Gillard's leadership. He was succeeded at the 2013 election by former Senator David Feeney, who had been a parliamentary secretary in the Rudd and Gillard governments.[2]

Batman is currently the safest two-party seat for Labor in the nation with a 21 percent two-party margin. However, with the Greens finishing second, their two-candidate margin is 10.6 percent.

The top 10 Greens lower house primary votes at the last election were: Melbourne (Vic) 42.6%, Batman (Vic) 26.4%, Grayndler (NSW) 23.0%, Wills (Vic) 22.2%, Melbourne Ports (Vic) 20.2%, Richmond (NSW) 17.7%, Sydney (NSW) 17.3%, Higgins (Vic) 16.8%, Gellibrand (Vic) 16.7% and Kooyong (Vic) 16.6%.

Members

Member Party Term
  Jabez Coon Protectionist 1906–1909
  Commonwealth Liberal 1909–1910
  Henry Beard Labour 1910–1910
  Frank Brennan Labor 1911–1931
  Samuel Dennis United Australia 1931–1934
  Frank Brennan Labor 1934–1949
  Alan Bird Labor 1949–1962
  Sam Benson Labor 1962–1966
  Independent 1966–1969
  Horrie Garrick Labor 1969–1977
  Brian Howe Labor 1977–1996
  Martin Ferguson Labor 1996–2013
  David Feeney Labor 2013–present

Election results

Australian federal election, 2016: Batman[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Greens Alex Bhathal 32,645 36.23 +9.83
Labor David Feeney 31,780 35.27 −6.02
Liberal George Souris 17,924 19.89 −2.57
Sex Party Joel Murray 2,317 2.57 −0.01
Independent Philip Sutton 1,509 1.67 +0.86
Animal Justice Caitlin Evans 1,503 1.67 +0.27
Marriage Equality Elizabeth Syber 682 0.76 +0.76
Renewable Energy Maurice Oldis 593 0.66 +0.66
Independent Franco Guardiani 480 0.53 +0.53
Cyclists Geoffrey Cicuto 386 0.43 +0.43
Progressives Russell Hayward 282 0.31 +0.31
Total formal votes 90,101 92.22 −2.02
Informal votes 7,601 7.78 +2.02
Turnout 97,702 89.68 −1.92
Two-party-preferred result
Labor David Feeney 64,645 71.75 +0.77
Liberal George Souris 25,456 28.25 −0.77
Two-candidate-preferred result
Labor David Feeney 45,977 51.03 −9.58
Greens Alex Bhathal 44,124 48.97 +9.58
Labor hold Swing −9.58

References

  1. ^ a b "Profile of the electoral division of Batman (Vic)". Current federal electoral divisions. Australian Electoral Commission. 2 October 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  2. ^ Green, Antony (11 October 2013). "Federal election 2013: Batman results". Australia Votes. Australia: ABC. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  3. ^ Batman, VIC, Virtual Tally Room 2016, Australian Electoral Commission.

External links

37°43′59″S 145°00′50″E / 37.733°S 145.014°E / -37.733; 145.014