Division of Macnamara

Macnamara Australian House of Representatives Division
Location of Macnamara (dark green) in Greater Melbourne, Victoria
Created	2019
MP	Josh Burns
Party	Labor
Namesake	Dame Jean Macnamara
Electors	113,809 (2019)
Area	41 km2 (15.8 sq mi)
Demographic	Inner Metropolitan
Coordinates	37°51′36″S 144°58′48″E / 37.86000°S 144.98000°E / -37.86000; 144.98000Coordinates: 37°51′36″S 144°58′48″E / 37.86000°S 144.98000°E / -37.86000; 144.98000

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.

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[]

References[]

External links[]

• Division of Macnamara – Australian Electoral Commission