Electoral results for the Division of Higgins

This is a list of electoral results for the Division of Higgins in Australian federal elections from the division's creation in 1949 until the present.

Contents

Members

Member Party Term
  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

Election results

Elections in the 2010s

Australian federal election, 2010: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Kelly O'Dwyer 42,086 51.74 -1.87
Labor Tony Clark 22,700 27.91 -3.17
Greens Samuel Hibbins 14,559 17.90 +7.15
Independent David Fawcett 1,225 1.51 +1.51
Family First Ashley Truter 777 0.96 +0.19
Total formal votes 81,347 97.20 -0.23
Informal votes 2,343 2.80 +0.23
Turnout 83,690 92.58 -1.19
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Kelly O'Dwyer 46,167 56.75 -0.29
Labor Tony Clark 35,180 43.25 +0.29
Liberal hold Swing -0.29

Elections in the 2000s

Higgins by-election, 2009
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Kelly O'Dwyer 36,421 54.57 +0.96
Greens Clive Hamilton 21,628 32.40 +21.65
Democratic Labor John Mulholland 2,572 3.85 +3.85
Sex Party Fiona Patten 2,144 3.21 +3.21
Democrats David Collyer 1,531 2.29 +1.08
Independent Stephen Murphy 1,145 1.72 +1.72
Independent Joseph Toscano 523 0.78 +0.78
Liberal Democrats Isaac Roberts 336 0.50 +0.50
Independent Peter Brohier 236 0.35 +0.35
One Nation Steve Raskovy 211 0.32 +0.32
Total formal votes 66,747 95.85 −1.58
Informal votes 2,870 4.15 +1.58
Turnout 69,637 79.00 −14.77
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Kelly O'Dwyer 40,203 60.23 +3.19
Greens Clive Hamilton 26,544 39.77 +39.77
Liberal hold Swing +3.19
Australian federal election, 2007: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Costello 43,761 53.61 -1.69
Labor Barbara Norman 25,367 31.08 +0.58
Greens Michael Wilbur-Ham 8,777 10.75 -0.60
Independent Stephen Mayne 1,615 1.98 +1.98
Democrats Mary Dettman 990 1.21 -0.61
Family First Penny Badwal 627 0.77 -0.06
Independent Graeme Meddings 227 0.28 +0.28
Total formal votes 81,629 97.43 +0.19
Informal votes 2,150 2.57 -0.19
Turnout 83,779 93.78 +0.81
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Peter Costello 46,559 57.04 -1.72
Labor Barbara Norman 35,070 42.96 +1.72
Liberal hold Swing -1.72
Australian federal election, 2004: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Costello 43,739 55.20 +2.01
Labor Paul Klisaris 24,166 30.50 +1.62
Greens Robert Trafficante 8,993 11.35 +2.54
Democrats Adam McBeth 1,440 1.82 -7.30
Family First Glen Pringle 658 0.83 +0.83
CEC Katherine Reid 243 0.31 +0.31
Total formal votes 79,239 97.24 -0.08
Informal votes 2,247 2.76 +0.08
Turnout 81,486 92.97 -1.11
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Peter Costello 46,561 58.76 +0.37
Labor Paul Klisaris 32,678 41.24 -0.37
Liberal hold Swing +0.37
Australian federal election, 2001: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Costello 42,437 53.19 -0.25
Labor Katie Stephens 23,038 28.88 -3.24
Democrats Katie Moss 7,275 9.12 +1.66
Greens Tania Giles 7,029 8.81 +6.03
Total formal votes 79,779 97.32 +0.33
Informal votes 2,198 2.68 -0.33
Turnout 81,977 93.47
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Peter Costello 46,583 58.39 -1.23
Labor Katie Stephens 33,196 41.61 +1.23
Liberal hold Swing -1.23

Elections in the 1990s

Australian federal election, 1998: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Costello 41,353 53.44 -2.36
Labor Jude Wallace 24,852 32.12 +1.60
Democrats Craig Shaw 5,770 7.46 -1.68
Greens Robert Trafficante 2,155 2.78 -1.13
One Nation Rod Spencer 1,208 1.56 +1.56
Unity David Zyngier 1,031 1.33 +1.33
Independent Ian Lawson 584 0.75 +0.75
Natural Law Michael Dickins 205 0.26 -0.37
Independent Russell Dwyer 128 0.17 +0.17
Abolish Child Support President Torney 93 0.12 +0.12
Total formal votes 77,379 96.99 -0.99
Informal votes 2,403 3.01 +0.99
Turnout 79,782 94.08 -0.95
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Peter Costello 46,133 59.62 -1.11
Labor Jude Wallace 31,246 40.38 +1.11
Liberal hold Swing -1.11
Australian federal election, 1996: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Costello 42,778 55.80 -0.54
Labor Ilias Grivas 23,392 30.52 -5.25
Democrats Nicolle Kuna 7,002 9.13 +3.68
Greens Mark Nicholls 2,995 3.91 +3.91
Natural Law Lorna Scurfield 490 0.64 -1.71
Total formal votes 76,657 97.98 +0.52
Informal votes 1,579 2.02 -0.52
Turnout 78,236 95.03 -0.06
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Peter Costello 46,188 60.73 +1.44
Labor Ilias Grivas 29,862 39.27 -1.44
Liberal hold Swing +1.44
Australian federal election, 1993: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Costello 41,501 57.36 +1.08
Labor Joe Cerritelli 25,077 34.66 +7.69
Democrats Clive Jackson 4,040 5.58 -10.20
Natural Law Lesley Mendelson 1,740 2.40 +2.40
Total formal votes 72,358 97.50 +0.50
Informal votes 1,852 2.50 -0.50
Turnout 74,210 95.09
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Peter Costello 43,491 60.13 -1.69
Labor Joe Cerritelli 28,832 39.87 +1.69
Liberal hold Swing -1.69
Australian federal election, 1990: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Costello 38,594 56.3 +2.2
Labor Laurie Walsh 18,497 27.0 -10.4
Democrats Clive Jackson 10,826 15.8 +7.3
Call to Australia Neil Baluch 670 1.0 +1.0
Total formal votes 68,587 97.0
Informal votes 2,116 3.0
Turnout 70,703 94.4
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Peter Costello 42,323 61.8 +4.0
Labor Laurie Walsh 26,131 38.2 -4.0
Liberal hold Swing +4.0

Elections in the 1980s

Australian federal election, 1987: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Roger Shipton 36,139 59.0 +2.0
Labor Barbara Higgins 19,139 32.5 -0.9
Democrats Clive Jackson 5,188 8.5 +2.7
Total formal votes 61,226 95.9
Informal votes 2,606 4.1
Turnout 63,832 93.4
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Roger Shipton 38,328 62.6 +0.5
Labor Barbara Higgins 22,888 37.4 -0.5
Liberal hold Swing +0.5
Australian federal election, 1984: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Roger Shipton 35,062 57.0 +1.0
Labor Kenneth Penaluna 20,543 33.4 -3.7
Democrats Laurence Levy 3,570 5.8 -0.3
National Babette Francis 1,600 2.6 +2.6
Democratic Labor Robert Semmel 692 1.1 +1.1
Total formal votes 61,467 93.3
Informal votes 4,391 6.7
Turnout 65,858 93.5
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Roger Shipton 38,140 62.1 +3.3
Labor Kenneth Penaluna 23,312 37.9 -3.3
Liberal hold Swing +3.3
Australian federal election, 1983: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Roger Shipton 35,189 55.2 -1.8
Labor Jennifer Bundy 24,184 37.9 +3.5
Democrats Antony Siddons 3,880 6.1 -0.9
Imperial British Maureen Holmes 500 0.8 -0.2
Total formal votes 63,753 98.4
Informal votes 1,024 1.6
Turnout 64,777 94.8
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Roger Shipton 58.0 -2.7
Labor Jennifer Bundy 42.0 +2.7
Liberal hold Swing -2.7
Australian federal election, 1980: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Roger Shipton 37,292 57.0 +1.8
Labor Jennifer Bundy 22,512 34.4 +8.2
Democrats James Thornley 4,554 7.0 -5.5
Imperial British Maureen Holmes 636 1.0 +1.0
Independent Wilhelm Kapphan 437 0.7 +0.7
Total formal votes 65,431 97.9
Informal votes 1,412 2.1
Turnout 66,843 93.4
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Roger Shipton 60.7 -5.3
Labor Jennifer Bundy 39.3 +5.3
Liberal hold Swing -5.3

Elections in the 1970s

Australian federal election, 1977: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Roger Shipton 36,504 55.2 -5.5
Labor Ann Jackson 17,308 26.2 -6.4
Democrats Jim Thornley 8,292 12.5 +12.5
DLP Martin Cahill 3,998 6.0 +1.2
Total formal votes 66,102 97.8
Informal votes 1,481 2.2
Turnout 67,583 94.5
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Roger Shipton 66.0 +1.1
Labor Ann Jackson 34.0 -1.1
Liberal hold Swing +1.1
Australian federal election, 1975: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Roger Shipton 35,577 60.7 +2.1
Labor Andrew Homer 19,134 32.6 -2.3
DLP John Cotter 2,833 4.8 +1.3
Australia Rafe Slaney 1,091 1.9 -1.2
Total formal votes 58,635 98.3
Informal votes 1,027 1.7
Turnout 59,662 94.0
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Roger Shipton 64.9 +1.9
Labor Andrew Homer 35.1 -1.9
Liberal hold Swing +1.9
Australian federal election, 1974: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Gorton 34,640 58.6 +5.2
Labor Wilhelm Kapphan 20,614 34.9 -0.4
DLP Thomas Magree 2,048 3.5 -2.2
Australia Rafe Slaney 1,809 3.1 -2.5
Total formal votes 59,111 98.2
Informal votes 1,079 1.8
Turnout 60,190 94.8
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal John Gorton 63.0 +2.2
Labor Wilhelm Kapphan 37.0 -2.2
Liberal hold Swing +2.2
Australian federal election, 1972: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Gorton 29,335 53.4 -5.1
Labor David Hardy 19,362 35.3 +6.5
DLP Peter Grant 3,142 5.7 -2.4
Australia Jack Hammond 3,069 5.6 +2.5
Total formal votes 54,908 98.1
Informal votes 1,055 1.9
Turnout 55,963 94.3
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal John Gorton 60.8 -7.0
Labor David Hardy 39.2 +7.0
Liberal hold Swing -7.0

Elections in the 1960s

Australian federal election, 1969: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Gorton 30,191 58.5 -3.3
Labor Wilhelm Kapphan 14,868 28.8 +2.1
DLP Peter Grant 4,208 8.1 -3.5
Australia Walter Pickering 1,598 3.1 +3.1
Independent Morris Revelman 777 1.5 +1.5
Total formal votes 51,642 96.8
Informal votes 1,715 3.2
Turnout 53,357 91.3
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal John Gorton 67.8 -4.4
Labor Wilhelm Kapphan 32.2 +4.4
Liberal hold Swing -4.4
Higgins by-election, 1968
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Gorton 24,067 69.4 +6.1
Labor David Bennett 9,601 27.7 +2.5
Australian Reform Movement Leonard Weber 662 1.9 +1.9
Independent Frank Courtis 347 1.0 +1.0
Total formal votes 34,677 98.6
Informal votes 481 1.4
Turnout 35,158 84.9
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal John Gorton 70.9 -2.8
Labor David Bennett 29.1 +2.8
Liberal hold Swing -2.8
Australian federal election, 1966: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Holt 23,918 63.3 +3.2
Labor Bruce Phayer 9,510 25.2 -3.5
DLP Frederick Skinner 4,370 11.6 +0.5
Total formal votes 37,798 97.2
Informal votes 1,072 2.8
Turnout 38,870 94.3
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Harold Holt 73.7 +3.6
Labor Bruce Phayer 26.3 -3.6
Liberal hold Swing +3.6
Australian federal election, 1963: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Holt 22,835 60.1 +3.4
Labor Roger Kirby 10,915 28.7 -0.6
DLP Celia Laird 4,223 11.1 -2.9
Total formal votes 37,973 98.8
Informal votes 444 1.2
Turnout 38,417 95.1
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Harold Holt 70.1 +0.8
Labor Roger Kirby 29.9 -0.8
Liberal hold Swing +0.8
Australian federal election, 1961: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Holt 22,004 56.7 -6.5
Labor Roger Kirby 11,353 29.3 +4.6
DLP Celia Laird 5,428 14.0 +1.9
Total formal votes 38,785 98.1
Informal votes 753 1.9
Turnout 39,538 96.4
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Harold Holt 69.3 -4.8
Labor Roger Kirby 30.7 +4.8
Liberal hold Swing -4.8

Elections in the 1950s

Australian federal election, 1958: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Holt 24,486 63.2 -1.2
Labor Alfred Shiff 9,564 24.7 +2.6
DLP Celia Laird 4,701 12.1 -1.4
Total formal votes 38,751 97.9
Informal votes 839 2.1
Turnout 39,590 93.5
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Harold Holt 74.1 -1.3
Labor Alfred Shiff 25.9 +1.3
Liberal hold Swing -1.3
Australian federal election, 1955: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Holt 25,476 64.4 +0.2
Labor Andrew Hughes 8,752 22.1 -12.5
Labor (Anti-Communist) John Fitzgerald 5,331 13.5 +13.5
Total formal votes 39,559 97.5
Informal votes 1,000 2.5
Turnout 40,559 93.0
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Harold Holt 75.4 +10.7
Labor Andrew Hughes 24.6 -10.7
Liberal hold Swing +10.7
Australian federal election, 1954: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Holt 22,849 65.4 -1.0
Labor Benjamin Nicholas 12,108 34.6 +4.1
Total formal votes 34,957 98.8
Informal votes 407 1.2
Turnout 35,364 93.8
Liberal hold Swing -2.8
Australian federal election, 1951: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Holt 24,217 64.4 -2.4
Labor Benjamin Nicholas 11,490 30.5 -2.7
Independent Mary Kent Hughes 1,925 5.1 +5.1
Total formal votes 37,632 98.5
Informal votes 584 1.5
Turnout 38,216 94.2
Two-candidate preferred result
Liberal Harold Holt 68.2 +1.4
Labor Benjamin Nicholas 31.8 -1.4
Liberal hold Swing +1.4

Elections in the 1940s

Australian federal election, 1949: Higgins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Holt 26,018 66.8 +6.8
Labor Jules Meltzer 12,909 33.2 -3.7
Total formal votes 38,927 98.4
Informal votes 621 1.6
Turnout 39,548 94.7
Liberal hold Swing +5.4

References