Division of Higgins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids HigginsAustralian House of Representatives Division |
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Division of Higgins (green) in Victoria
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| Created | 1949 |
| MP | Kelly O'Dwyer |
| Party | Liberal |
| Namesake | H. B. Higgins |
| Area | 39 km2 (15.1 sq mi) |
| Demographic | Inner Metropolitan |
The Division of Higgins is a special area in Victoria, Australia. It's called an electoral division. This means people living here get to vote for someone to represent them in the Australian Parliament.
The Division of Higgins was created in 1949. It is named after a very important person named Justice H. B. Higgins (1851–1929). He was a judge and also a member of parliament a long time ago.
This area covers many suburbs in eastern Melbourne. These include places like Armadale, Ashburton, Malvern, and Toorak. It also includes parts of Glen Iris, Camberwell, Carnegie, Murrumbeena, Prahran, and South Yarra.
Who Represents Higgins?
The people who represent the Division of Higgins in parliament are called Members of Parliament (MPs). Here are some of the people who have been the MP for Higgins:
| Member | Party | Term | |
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| Harold Holt | Liberal | 1949–1967 | |
| John Gorton | Liberal | 1968–1975 | |
| Independent | 1975–1975 | ||
| Roger Shipton | Liberal | 1975–1990 | |
| Peter Costello | Liberal | 1990–2009 | |
| Kelly O'Dwyer | Liberal | 2009–present | |
Why is Higgins Important in Australian Politics?
The Division of Higgins has been very important in Australian politics. This area has been represented by two Prime Ministers of Australia. A Prime Minister is the leader of the country.
- The first MP for Higgins was Harold Holt. He became the 17th Prime Minister of Australia.
- The second MP was Sir John Gorton. He became the 19th Prime Minister.
Higgins is the only electoral division in Australia that has been represented by two Prime Ministers!
Another important person from Higgins was Peter Costello. He was the MP for Higgins from 1990 to 2009. He was also the Treasurer of Australia for a very long time. The Treasurer is in charge of the country's money.
Sometimes, if an MP leaves parliament before an election, a special election called a "by-election" is held. This happened in Higgins in 1967 after Harold Holt disappeared. It also happened in 2009 when Peter Costello resigned.
Images for kids
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H. B. Higgins, the division's namesake
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