Division of Eden-Monaro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eden-MonaroAustralian House of Representatives Division |
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Division of Eden-Monaro (green) within New South Wales
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| Created | 1901 |
| MP | Peter Hendy |
| Party | Liberal |
| Namesake | Eden and Monaro |
| Electors | 96,465 (2010) |
| Area | 29,499 km2 (11,389.6 sq mi) |
| Demographic | Rural |
The Division of Eden-Monaro is an important area in New South Wales, Australia. It is where people vote to choose their representative in the Australian Parliament. This division was one of the first 75 voting areas created when Australia became a country in 1901.
The name "Eden-Monaro" comes from the town of Eden and the Monaro district in southern New South Wales. This area includes towns like Batemans Bay, Bega, Cooma, and Queanbeyan.
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A Special Electorate
Since 1972, the Eden-Monaro division has had a special reputation. It has always been won by the political party that ends up forming the government for the whole country. This makes it a very interesting division to watch during elections. News reporters and political experts often pay close attention to Eden-Monaro's results. They try to guess which party will win the national election based on how people vote here.
Who Represents Eden-Monaro?
The people of Eden-Monaro elect a person to represent them in the Australian Parliament. This person is called a Member of Parliament (MP). They speak for the people of their division and help make decisions for the country.
Past Representatives
Many different people have been elected to represent Eden-Monaro over the years. Here is a list of some of the past Members of Parliament for this division:
| Member | Party | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Sir) Austin Chapman | Protectionist | 1901–1909 | |
| Commonwealth Liberal | 1909–1917 | ||
| Nationalist | 1917–1926 | ||
| John Perkins | Nationalist | 1926–1929 | |
| John Cusack | Labor | 1929–1931 | |
| John Perkins | United Australia | 1931–1943 | |
| Allan Fraser | Labor | 1943–1966 | |
| Dugald Munro | Liberal | 1966–1969 | |
| Allan Fraser | Labor | 1969–1972 | |
| Bob Whan | Labor | 1972–1975 | |
| Murray Sainsbury | Liberal | 1975–1983 | |
| Jim Snow | Labor | 1983–1996 | |
| Gary Nairn | Liberal | 1996–2007 | |
| Mike Kelly | Labor | 2007–2013 | |
| Peter Hendy | Liberal | 2013–2016 | |
How Elections Work Here
Elections are how people choose their representatives. Sometimes, a special election called a "by-election" happens. This happens if a Member of Parliament leaves their job before the next general election.
What is a By-election?
A by-election is a special election held only for one specific voting area, like Eden-Monaro. It's not a national election. For example, there was a by-election in Eden-Monaro in 1926. This happened after the death of the person who was the MP at the time, Sir Austin Chapman. A by-election helps fill the empty spot so the area still has a voice in Parliament.
