Division of Groom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids GroomAustralian House of Representatives Division |
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Division of Groom (green) within Queensland
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| Created | 1984 |
| MP | Ian Macfarlane |
| Party | Liberal National |
| Namesake | Littleton Groom |
| Electors | 96,916 (2013) |
| Area | 5,594 km2 (2,159.9 sq mi) |
| Demographic | Provincial |
The Division of Groom is an area in Queensland, Australia, that votes for a person to represent them in the Australian Parliament. It's like a special voting district. This division was created in 1984.
It is named after Sir Littleton Groom, who was an important person in Australian politics. He used to be the Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives. This means he was in charge of running the meetings in the main part of the Australian Parliament. Sir Littleton Groom represented a similar area called the Division of Darling Downs before Groom was created.
The Division of Groom is located in the countryside west of Brisbane. It includes Toowoomba, which is Australia's second-largest city that isn't on the coast. Other towns in this area are Oakey and Pittsworth.
People Who Represented Groom
The people who represent the Division of Groom in the Australian Parliament are called Members of Parliament (MPs). Here are the MPs who have represented Groom since it was created:
- Tom McVeigh was the first MP for Groom. He was from the National Party and represented the area from 1984 to 1988.
- Bill Taylor followed Tom McVeigh. He was from the Liberal Party and served from 1988 to 1998.
- Ian Macfarlane represented Groom for a long time, from 1998 until recently. He was first a member of the Liberal Party.
About Ian Macfarlane
Ian Macfarlane was an important politician. He served as a minister in the governments led by Prime Ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott. A minister is a special government leader who is in charge of a particular area, like industry or resources.
In 2015, when Malcolm Turnbull became Prime Minister, Ian Macfarlane was no longer a minister. After this, he decided to leave the Liberal Party and join the National Party. This shows how politicians can sometimes change parties during their careers.
Where is Groom Located?
The Division of Groom is part of the larger group of federal divisions in Queensland. These divisions help make sure that people from all over Queensland have a voice in the Australian Parliament.
