# Division of Eden-Monaro

The Division of Eden-Monaro (/ˈiːdən məˈnɛəroʊ/) is an Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales.

## Geography

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.

## History

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 very little throughout its history, including the towns of Yass, Bega and Cooma and the city of Queanbeyan. It completely surrounds the Australian Capital Territory.
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.
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. At the 2022 election, she held the seat with a large swing to her, boosting her two-party majority to eight percent, 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 New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Braidwood. Served as Chief Government Whip in the House under Barton. Served as minister under Deakin and Bruce. Died in office |
| Sir Austin Chapman (1864–1926) | Liberal | 26 May 1909 – 17 February 1917 | Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Braidwood. Served as Chief Government Whip in the House under Barton. Served as minister under Deakin and Bruce. Died in office |
| Sir Austin Chapman (1864–1926) | Nationalist | 17 February 1917 – 12 January 1926 | Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Braidwood. Served as Chief Government Whip in the House under Barton. Served as minister under Deakin and Bruce. Died in office |
| 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 Lyons, Page and 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 Gillard and Rudd. Lost seat |
| Peter Hendy (1962–) | Liberal | 7 September 2013 – 2 July 2016 | Served as minister under Abbott and 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

2022 Australian federal election: Eden-Monaro :
| Party | 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 | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 101,517 | 93.48 | +0.28 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 7,083 | 6.52 | −0.28 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 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 | Labor hold | Swing | +7.35 | |
    National