The Division of Oxley is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. It is currently represented by Milton Dick, the current Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Oxley
Australian House of Representatives Division
Map
Map
Interactive map of boundaries
Created1949
MPMilton Dick
PartyAustralian Labor Party
NamesakeJohn Oxley
Electors112,740 (2022)
Area159 km2 (61.4 sq mi)
DemographicOuter metropolitan

Geography edit

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 edit

 
John Oxley, the division's namesake

The current division is the second to bear the name, and was created in 1949. The division is named after the Australian explorer, John Oxley. Oxley is located in south east Queensland, and covers the south western suburbs of Brisbane.

The original Division of Oxley was established in 1901, and was abolished and replaced by the Division of Griffith in 1934. The 1949 incarnation's best-known member was Bill Hayden, the Labor Opposition Leader between 1977 and 1983, when he resigned under pressure the same day that the 1983 election which swept Bob Hawke to power was called. Hayden later served as a minister in the Hawke government before becoming Governor-General in 1989.

In 1996, the seat became most well known for controversial social conservative MP Pauline Hanson who was elected as a Liberal-turned-independent, but the seat was heavily redistributed in 1997, splitting her main support base of Ipswich between Oxley and Blair. In 1998 Hanson contested the seat of Blair, winning 36% of the primary vote but losing to the Liberals (who got 21%) under Australia's system of preferential voting. Hanson's brief tenure represents the only time since 1961 that the seat has been out of Labor hands.

Members edit

Image Member Party Term Notes
    Donald Cameron
(1900–1974)
Liberal 10 December 1949
9 December 1961
Served as minister under Menzies. Lost seat
    Bill Hayden
(1933–2023)
Labor 9 December 1961
17 August 1988
Served as minister under Whitlam and Hawke. Served as Opposition Leader from 1977 to 1983. Resigned to become Governor-General of Australia
    Les Scott
(1947–)
8 October 1988
2 March 1996
Lost seat
    Pauline Hanson
(1954–)
Independent 2 March 1996
11 April 1997
Did not contest in 1998. Failed to win the Division of Blair. Later elected to the Senate in 2016
  One Nation 11 April 1997 –
3 October 1998
    Bernie Ripoll
(1966–)
Labor 3 October 1998
9 May 2016
Retired
    Milton Dick
(1972–)
2 July 2016
present
Incumbent. Currently the Speaker of the House

Election results edit

2022 Australian federal election: Oxley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Milton Dick 43,785 45.89 +3.36
Liberal National Kyle McMillen 27,385 28.70 −5.87
Greens Asha Worsteling 13,595 14.25 +2.61
One Nation Dylan Kozlowski 5,568 5.84 −0.46
United Australia Timothy Coombes 5,079 5.32 +2.70
Total formal votes 95,412 96.38 +1.13
Informal votes 3,582 3.62 −1.13
Turnout 98,994 87.87 −3.33
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Milton Dick 58,768 61.59 +5.20
Liberal National Kyle McMillen 36,644 38.41 −5.20
Labor hold Swing +5.20

References edit

  1. ^ Muller, Damon (14 November 2017). "The process of federal redistributions: a quick guide". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  2. ^ Oxley, QLD, 2022 Tally Room, Australian Electoral Commission.

External links edit

27°36′32″S 152°55′59″E / 27.609°S 152.933°E / -27.609; 152.933