Division of Wills

The Division of Wills is an Australian Electoral Division of Victoria. 

The division includes the northern Melbourne suburbs of Brunswick, Coburg, Pascoe Vale, Fawkner, Glenroy, and Essendon Airport. It was named after William John Wills, of the Burke and Wills expedition.

Members
MemberPartyTerm Bill Bryson Labor 1949–1955  Labor (Anti-Communist) 1955–1955  Gordon Bryant Labor 1955–1980  Bob Hawke Labor 1980–1992  Phil Cleary Independent 1992–1996  Kelvin Thomson Labor 1996–2016  Peter Khalil Labor 2016–present

Wills has been one of the safest Labor seats in the country. It has been held by Labor except between the 1992 by-election and the 1996 federal election. During this time it was held by independent Phil Cleary. The seat was held by Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

The 1992 by-election is remarkable for a number of reasons. It was caused by Bob Hawke's retirement from parliament. A record 22 people stood for election. It was won by an independent, Phil Cleary. However he was on unpaid leave from the state education system and the Australian Constitution forbids people employed by the government from standing for election. No replacement by-election was held as the court decision which threw out the results was made shortly before a general election was due.

Election results

References

Division of Wills – Australian Electoral Commission

Other websites
 Kelvin Thomson's website

Wills
Category:1949 establishments in Australia