|
|
|
|
| Australian federal election, 2016
Division of Deakin, Victoria
Eastern Melbourne: Blackburn, Heathmont, Mitcham, Ringwood
Sitting member: Michael Sukkar (Liberal), elected 2013
Enrolment at close of rolls: 99,675
2013 Liberal majority over Labor: 3.2%
|
Candidates in ballot-paper order:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
1. Michael Sukkar
Liberal Party |
2. Karen Dobby
Australian Christians |
3. Joshua Briers
Australian Greens |
4. Tony Clark
Australian Labor Party |
5. Vanessa Brown
Animal Justice Party |
6. Gary Coombes
Family First |
2013 results
Statistics and history
Deakin was created in 1937, originally as a rural seat to the north- east of Melbourne, and has gradually been reduced by successive redistributions
to a block of suburbs centered on Mitcham and Ringwood. Despite being in the outer suburbs, it is not a mortgage belt seat: it has low levels of
families with dependent children and of dwellings being purchased. Its high level of over-65s also suggest a stable, ageing population.
Deakin is remarkable for its social and political homogeneity: in 2013, the major parties each polled between 45 and 60% of the two- party vote all
but one booth. Nevertheless, Labor is somewhat stronger in Blackburn and Mitcham, at the older, western end of the seat, while the Liberals are stronger
in Croydon and Ringwood, at the newer, eastern end.
The seat's solidly middle-class, home-owning character has made it politically very stable. Since 1969 it has always been a marginal seat, but Labor
has only won it twice: in 1983, when the veteran Liberal member Alan Jarman stayed on too long and lost to Labor's John Saunderson, and in the Rudd
tide of 2007, when Labor's Mike Symon defeated the sitting Liberal Phil Barresi. Symon was re- elected in 2010, but was defeated in the 2014 swing
to the Liberals.
Michael Sukkar, Liberal MP for Deakin since 2013, is a lawyer and tax accountant. He was a senior associate with one of Australia's largest law firms
before entering politics. He is of Lebanese Christian descent. Labor's candidate is Tony Clark, who has degrees in science and communications and has
worked for a number of non-profit groups, including as manager of Vision Australia. He has been blind since he was 19.*
* A number of media stories have said that if elected Clark would be the first blind federal MP. This is untrue. George Maxwell, MP for Fawkner
1917-35, was blind, although not at the time of his first election.
These maps are the property of Adam Carr and may not be reproduced without his permission.
Back to main page
Prospective pendulum, showing all candidates
State and territory maps, showing new boundaries
The thirty seats that will decide the election
Other seats of interest
|
|
|