Electoral district of Altona

Altona Victoria—Legislative Assembly
Location of Altona (dark green) in Greater Melbourne
State	Victoria
Created	1992
MP	Jill Hennessy
Party	Australian Labor Party
Electors	48,044 (2014)
Area	79 km^2 (30.5 sq mi)
Demographic	Outer Metropolitan

The Electoral district of Altona is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It covers an area of 79 square kilometres (31 sq mi) in western Melbourne, and includes the suburbs of Altona, Altona Meadows, Laverton, Point Cook, Seabrook and Seaholme. It also includes the RAAF Williams airbase and the Point Cook Coastal Park. It lies within the Western Metropolitan Region of the upper house, the Legislative Council.^[1]

History

The Altona seat was created in an electoral redistribution for the 1992 election, and has been a safe seat for the Labor Party throughout its history. It was won in 1992 by Carole Marple, who was associated with the party's Pledge Left faction, a hard-left splinter from the Socialist Left.^[2][3][4] In 1993, a broad "peace deal" was struck between the Socialist Left and the right-wing Labor Unity faction, which saw both factions agree to deliver the Altona preselection for the 1996 election to Socialist Left candidate Lynne Kosky instead of Marple.^[5] As a result, Kosky defeated Marple for Labor preselection, and succeeded her as member for Altona at the 1996 election, while Marple instead contested and lost the marginal Legislative Council seat of Geelong Province.^[6]

Kosky served as a minister throughout the 1999–2010 Labor government under Steve Bracks and John Brumby, holding the positions of Minister for Post Compulsory Education, Training and Employment (1999–2002), Minister for Finance (2000–2002), Minister for Education and Training (2002–2006), Minister for Public Transport (2006–2010) and Minister for the Arts (2006–2010).^[7] Kosky resigned mid-term on 18 January 2010, citing significant health problems in her family. This necessitated a February by-election, which was won by former Labor state president Jill Hennessy.^[8][9][10]

Hennessy was re-elected at the 2010 election and 2014 election. Following the Labor victory at the 2014 election, she was appointed Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services in the Andrews Ministry.^[11]

Members for Altona

Member		Party	Term
	Carole Marple	Labor	1992–1996
	Lynne Kosky	Labor	1996–2010
	Jill Hennessy	Labor	2010–present

Election results

Victorian state election, 2014: Altona

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labor	Jill Hennessy	21,862	52.0	+0.9
	Liberal	Nihal Samara	13,235	31.5	−1.9
	Greens	Chris De Bono	4,220	10.0	−0.4
	Christians	Anthony O'Neill	1,085	2.6	+2.6
	Voice for the West	Jemal Hiabu	996	2.4	+2.4
	Independent	Brijender Nain	687	1.6	+1.6
Total formal votes			42,085	94.6	−0.1
Informal votes			2,425	5.4	+0.1
Turnout			44,510	92.6	+3.4
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Jill Hennessy	26,366	62.6	+0.2
	Liberal	Nihal Samara	15,777	37.4	−0.2
	Labor hold		Swing	+0.2

References

1. "Altona District profile". Victorian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
2. Dixon, Robyn (18 March 1991). "Kirner threatens to call in federal party". The Age.
3. Davis, Mark (19 March 1991). "Desperate Socialist Left to go for toecutters". Australian Financial Review.
4. "Altona – Victorian Election 2014". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
5. Ormonde, Tom (18 June 1993). "Deal done, but Labor faces more strife". The Age.
6. "Marple, Carole Francis". Re-member. Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
7. "Kosky, Lynne Janice". Re-member. Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
8. Lahey, Kate (18 January 2010). "Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky quits politics". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
9. "2010 Altona By-election". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
10. Collins, Sarah-Jane; Rood, David (27 January 2010). "Altona by-election boost for Hennessy". The Age. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
11. "Hon Jill Hennessy". Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 11 December 2014.

External links

• Electorate profile: Altona District, Victorian Electoral Commission