Division of Macnamara

The Division of Macnamara is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria, which was contested for the first time at the 2019 federal election. The division is named in honour of Dame Jean Macnamara, a medical researcher and doctor who specialised in the polio virus and was involved in children's health initiatives.

Macnamara
Australian House of Representatives Division
Location of Macnamara (dark green) in Greater Melbourne, Victoria
Created2019
MPJosh Burns
PartyLabor
NamesakeDame Jean Macnamara
Electors113,809 (2019)
Area41 km2 (15.8 sq mi)
DemographicInner Metropolitan
Coordinates37°51′36″S 144°58′48″E

The current member is Josh Burns, representing the Australian Labor Party since the 2019 Australian federal election.

History

The Division of Macnamara was created in 2018 after the Australian Electoral Commission oversaw a mandatory redistribution of divisions in Victoria.[1] Macnamara is located in most of what was previously the Division of Melbourne Ports, which it replaced in the redistribution.[2] The division is located in Melbourne's south around the eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay and takes in the suburbs of Port Melbourne, Albert Park, Balaclava, Caulfield, Elwood, Middle Park, Ripponlea, South Melbourne and St Kilda, as well as parts of Glen Huntly and Elsternwick.[3] It also includes the suburb of Windsor, which had previously been located in the neighbouring division of Higgins.[2]

The seat was notionally held by the Labor Party on a 1.3% margin over the Liberal Party.[2] Its predecessor, Melbourne Ports, had been held by Labor without interruption since 1906, and for over 80 years had been one of Labor's safest seats. However, Labor's hold on the seat became increasingly tenuous after a 1990 redistribution added some wealthier territory around Caulfield. Further analysis identified that the margin between the Labor Party and the Greens had narrowed to less than 0.3% as a result of recent boundary adjustments.[4]

The last member for Melbourne Ports, Michael Danby, opted not to contest the election for the new Macnamara. His replacement as Labor candidate, Josh Burns, retained the seat for Labor with a modest swing in his favour.

The seat has a slowly but steadily growing vote for the Greens, with the party achieving its highest vote in the seat at the 2019 federal election. Additionally, the Greens won in 8 booths previously held by the Labor Party and came second in a further 8 booths.

Members
Image Member Party Term Notes
  Josh Burns
(1987–)		 Labor 18 May 2019 –
present		 Incumbent

Election results
Main article: Electoral results for the Division of Macnamara
This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2019 Australian federal election in Victoria § Macnamara[edit]
2019 Australian federal election: Macnamara[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Kate Ashmor 36,283 37.37 −4.60
Labor Josh Burns 30,855 31.78 +5.24
Greens Steph Hodgins-May 23,534 24.24 +0.08
Animal Justice Craig McPherson 1,919 1.98 0.00
United Australia Helen Paton 1,136 1.17 +1.17
Independent Ruby O'Rourke 1,108 1.14 +1.14
Sustainable Australia Steven Armstrong 974 1.00 +1.00
Independent Chris Wallis 918 0.95 +0.95
Rise Up Australia Christine Kay 365 0.38 +0.38
Total formal votes 97,092 95.77 0.00
Informal votes 4,288 4.23 0.00
Turnout 101,380 89.08 +2.80
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Josh Burns 54,613 56.25 +5.04
Liberal Kate Ashmor 42,479 43.75 −5.04
Labor hold Swing+5.04

References
  1. "Names and boundaries of federal electoral divisions in Victoria decided". Australian Electoral Commission. 20 June 2018.
  2. "2017–18 Federal Redistributions – Victoria". ABC Elections. 20 June 2018.
  3. "Map: Division of Macnamara" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission.
  4. "Victorian redistribution 2018 – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". ABC News. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  5. Macnamara, VIC, Tally Room 2019, Australian Electoral Commission.
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