Division of Eden-Monaro

Eden-Monaro
Division
Eden-Monaro; Division
	2016 federal election to 2025 Interactive map of electorate boundaries
Created	1901
MP	Kristy McBain
Party	Labor
Namesake	Eden and Monaro
Electors	121,441 (2025)
Area	31,913 km2 (12,321.7 sq mi)
Demographic	Rural
	Electorates around Eden-Monaro:

The Division of Eden-Monaro (

Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales. It includes the cities of Queanbeyan, Goulburn, Cooma, Bega and Eden. It is currently represented by Labor MP Kristy McBain

.

Geography

Eden-Monaro currently includes Goulburn Mulwaree Council, Queanbeyan–Palerang Regional Council, Snowy Monaro Regional Council, Bega Valley Shire and part of Eurobodalla Shire, including Narooma, Bodalla and Tuross Head.

Since 1984, federal electoral division boundaries in Australia have been determined at redistributions by a redistribution committee appointed by the Australian Electoral Commission. Redistributions occur for the boundaries of divisions in a particular state, and they occur every seven years, or sooner if a state's representation entitlement changes or when divisions of a state are malapportioned.^[1]

History

The town of Eden and

the region of Monaro, the division's namesakes

The division was proclaimed in 1900, and was one of the original 65 divisions to be contested at the first federal election. It is named for the town of Eden and the Monaro district of southern New South Wales.

Its boundaries have changed relatively little throughout its history. It originally extended to the

Brindabellas in the west, the Victorian border in the south and the Pacific Ocean in the east.^[2] It currently includes the cities of Queanbeyan and Goulburn and the towns of Bega and Cooma, as it did before the enlargement of Parliament at the 1984 distribution when it lost Goulburn. Between the 2014 distribution^[3] and the 2024 distribution it completely surrounded the Australian Capital Territory, but otherwise it has been generally east of the territory. At the 2024 distribution, the local government areas of Yass Valley and Snowy Valleys were removed from the electorate and replaced by Goulburn Mulwaree from Hume. It also acquired the small town of Tuross Head from Gilmore.^[4]

Until 1943 non-Labor parties held the seat for all but three years. Since then, it has been consistently marginal, split between provincial territory that votes strongly for Labor and rural areas that vote equally strongly for the Liberals (and their predecessors) or the Nationals. However, it was in Labor hands for all but one term from 1943 to 1975.

Up to the 2016 election, Eden-Monaro was long regarded as Australia's most well-known "bellwether seat". From 1972 to 2013, Eden-Monaro was won by the party that also won the election. During this time, all its sitting members were defeated at the polls – none retired or resigned.

Liberal incumbent

Peter Hendy was defeated by Labor's Mike Kelly at the 2016 election. Kelly had previously represented Eden-Monaro from 2007 to 2013. Kelly's 2016 victory made him the seat's first opposition MP elected since 1969; it was also the first time since then that the non-Labor parties had been in government without holding Eden-Monaro. The nation's new bellwether became the seat of Robertson – continually won by the party that also won government since the 1983 election. "Best" bellwether aside, ABC psephologist Antony Green classed a total of eleven electorates as bellwethers in his 2016 election guide.^[5]

Labor’s Kristy McBain became the first woman to represent the division when she narrowly held the seat in the 2020 Eden-Monaro by-election.^[6] At the 2022 election, she held the seat with a large swing to her, boosting her two-party margin to 8 points, the strongest result in the seat for either side of politics since 1934.

Members

Member	Party	Term	Notes
Sir Austin Chapman (1864–1926)	Protectionist	29 March 1901 – 26 May 1909	Previously held the Deakin and Bruce . Died in office
	Liberal	26 May 1909 – 17 February 1917
	Nationalist	17 February 1917 – 12 January 1926
John Perkins (1878–1954)	Nationalist	6 March 1926 – 12 October 1929	Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Goulburn. Served as Chief Government Whip in the House under Bruce. Lost seat
John Cusack (1868–1956)	Labor	12 October 1929 – 19 December 1931	Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Albury. Did not contest in 1931. Failed to win the Division of Cowper
John Perkins (1878–1954)	United Australia	19 December 1931 – 21 August 1943	Served as minister under Menzies . Lost seat
Allan Fraser (1902–1977)	Labor	21 August 1943 – 26 November 1966	Lost seat
Dugald Munro (1930–1973)	Liberal	26 November 1966 – 25 October 1969	Lost seat
Allan Fraser (1902–1977)	Labor	25 October 1969 – 2 November 1972	Retired. Later elected to the Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly seat of Fraser in 1975
Bob Whan (1933–2015)	Labor	2 December 1972 – 13 December 1975	Lost seat
Murray Sainsbury (1940–)	Liberal	13 December 1975 – 5 March 1983	Lost seat
Jim Snow (1934–)	Labor	5 March 1983 – 2 March 1996	Lost seat
Gary Nairn (1951–2024)	Liberal	2 March 1996 – 24 November 2007	Served as minister under Howard . Lost seat
Mike Kelly (1960–)	Labor	24 November 2007 – 7 September 2013	Served as minister under Rudd . Lost seat
Peter Hendy (1962–)	Liberal	7 September 2013 – 2 July 2016	Served as minister under Turnbull . Lost seat
Mike Kelly (1960–)	Labor	2 July 2016 – 30 April 2020	Resigned due to ill health
Kristy McBain (1982–)	Labor	4 July 2020 – present	Incumbent. Currently a minister under Albanese

Election results

2025 Australian federal election: Eden-Monaro^[7]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Kristy McBain	46,088	43.04	+4.54
	Liberal	Jo van der Plaat	34,142	31.88	−2.49
	Greens	Emma Goward	10,739	10.03	+1.45
	One Nation	Richard Graham	7,451	6.96	+2.59
	Trumpet of Patriots	Wade Cox	2,587	2.42	+2.42
	Independent	Andrew Thaler	2,499	2.33	+0.69
	HEART	Fraser Buchanan	1,881	1.76	+1.05
	Independent	Brian Fisher	1,701	1.59	+1.59
Total formal votes			107,088	94.02	+0.48
Informal votes			6,808	5.98	−0.48
Turnout			113,896	93.84	+0.95
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Kristy McBain	61,270	57.21	+1.13
	Liberal	Jo van der Plaat	45,818	42.79	−1.13
	Labor hold		Swing	+1.13

2022 Australian federal election: Eden-Monaro^[8]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Kristy McBain	43,215	42.57	+3.40
	Liberal	Jerry Nockles	33,520	33.02	−3.99
	Greens	Vivian Harris	9,376	9.24	+0.46
	One Nation	Boyd Shannon	4,351	4.29	+4.29
	Liberal Democrats	Maxwell Holmes	2,625	2.59	+2.59
	United Australia	Darren Garnon	2,566	2.53	−0.24
	Sustainable Australia	James Holgate	2,260	2.23	+2.23
	Independent	Andrew Thaler	2,044	2.01	+2.01
	Informed Medical Options	Toni McLennan	909	0.90	+0.90
	Democrats	Greg Butler	651	0.64	+0.64
Total formal votes			101,517	93.48	+0.28
Informal votes			7,083	6.52	−0.28
Turnout			108,600	93.35	+0.04
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Kristy McBain	59,083	58.20	+7.35
	Liberal	Jerry Nockles	42,434	41.80	−7.35
	Labor hold		Swing	+7.35

References

^ Muller, Damon (14 November 2017). "The process of federal redistributions: a quick guide". Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
^ "Eden-Monaro". IHR NSW Family History Documents. 2007. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
^ "Redistribution of New South Wales into electoral divisions" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. February 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2025. [26–27]
^ "Map of Proposed Commonwealth Electoral Division of Eden-Monaro" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. May 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
^ "The Bellwether Contests: Antony Green ABC". Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
^ "Results - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
^ Eden-Monaro, NSW, 2025 Tally Room, Australian Electoral Commission.
^ Eden-Monaro, NSW, 2022 Tally Room, Australian Electoral Commission.

External links

Division of Eden-Monaro - Australian Electoral Commission

36°17′31″S 149°20′38″E / 36.292°S 149.344°E / -36.292; 149.344

[1] Muller, Damon (14 November 2017). "The process of federal redistributions: a quick guide". Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.

[2] "Eden-Monaro". IHR NSW Family History Documents. 2007. Retrieved 7 May 2025.

[3] "Redistribution of New South Wales into electoral divisions" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. February 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2025. [26–27]

[4] "Map of Proposed Commonwealth Electoral Division of Eden-Monaro" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. May 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2025.

[5] "The Bellwether Contests: Antony Green ABC". Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.

[6] "Results - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.

[7] Eden-Monaro, NSW, 2025 Tally Room, Australian Electoral Commission.

[8] Eden-Monaro, NSW, 2022 Tally Room, Australian Electoral Commission.

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v t e Electoral divisions of the Australian House of Representatives in New South Wales
Labor (28)	Banks Barton Bennelong Blaxland Chifley Cunningham Dobell Eden-Monaro Gilmore Grayndler Greenway Hughes Hunter Kingsford Smith Macarthur Macquarie McMahon Newcastle Parramatta Paterson Reid Richmond Robertson Shortland Sydney Watson Werriwa Whitlam
Liberal (6)	Berowra Cook Farrer Hume Lindsay Mitchell
National (6)	Cowper Lyne New England Page Parkes Riverina
Independent (6)	Bradfield Calare Fowler Mackellar Warringah Wentworth
Abolished	Barrier Bland Canobolas Charlton Cook (1906–1955) Dalley Darling Dundas East Sydney Evans Gwydir Illawarra Lang Lawson Lowe Martin Nepean North Sydney Parkes (1901–1969) Phillip Prospect Riverina-Darling St George South Sydney Throsby Watson (1934–1969) West Sydney
Divisions in: New South Wales Victoria Queensland Western Australia South Australia Tasmania ACT and NT