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	Rural

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 was Speaker of the House from 2015 through 2021, and was, after Bob Halverson, the second member for this electorate to occupy the chair.

History[]

Richard Casey, the division's namesake

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 from 2015 until 2021.^[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, Turnbull and Morrison Governments. Incumbent

Election results[]

References[]

External links[]

• Division of Casey – Australian Electoral Commission

Coordinates: 37°46′23″S 145°24′00″E / 37.773°S 145.400°E / -37.773; 145.400