The Division of Isaacs is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, on the eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay. It covers the suburbs of Mordialloc, Keysborough (part), Waterways, Cheltenham (part), Dingley Village, Chelsea, Aspendale, Aspendale Gardens, Edithvale, Bonbeach, Patterson Lakes, Carrum, Parkdale, Mentone, Dandenong South, Highett, Heatherton and Moorabbin.

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.

As a result of a periodical boundary redistribution, from the 2025 Australian federal election, Isaacs’ boundaries moved north and east to include the suburbs of Keysborough, Springvale South, Noble Park (part) and Dandenong (part), while losing the suburbs of Chelsea (part), Chelsea Heights (part), Bonbeach, Carrum and Patterson Lakes to neighbouring Dunkley and parts of Moorabbin, Highett and Cheltenham to Goldstein.

History

Sir Isaac Isaacs, the division's namesake

The division was named after Sir Isaac Isaacs, former Chief Justice of Australia and the first Australian-born Governor-General of Australia. It was proclaimed at the redistribution of 21 November 1968, and first contested at the 1969 federal election. Originally a marginal seat, it switched regularly between the Liberals and Labor. However, Labor has held it without interruption since 1996, and it is now considered fairly safe for that party.

The former Division of Isaacs (1949–69) was located in the inner south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, and was not related to this division except in name.

Mark Dreyfus became the new Labor member in 2007, and has been re-elected ever since. The division was also contested in 2007 by Laura Chipp, daughter of Don Chipp, for the Australian Democrats.

Members

ImageMemberPartyTermNotes
David Hamer (1923–2002)Liberal25 October 196918 May 1974Lost seat
Gareth Clayton (1942–2010)Labor18 May 197413 December 1975Lost seat
David Hamer (1923–2002)Liberal13 December 197510 November 1977Transferred to the Senate
Bill Burns (1933–2009)10 December 197718 October 1980Lost seat
David Charles (1948–)Labor18 October 198019 February 1990Retired
Rod Atkinson (1948–)Liberal24 March 19902 March 1996Lost seat
Greg Wilton (1955–2000)Labor2 March 1996 – 14 June 2000Died in office
Ann Corcoran (1951–)12 August 200017 October 2007Lost preselection and retired
Mark Dreyfus (1956–)24 November 2007 – presentServed as minister under Gillard, Rudd, and Albanese. Incumbent.

Election results

2025 Australian federal election: Isaacs
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LaborMark Dreyfus53,45449.41+6.63
LiberalFiona Ottey30,66028.34−1.20
GreensMatthew Kirwan15,20014.05+1.98
One NationGeoff McMahon4,9894.61+1.59
Family FirstAudrey Harmse3,8783.58+3.58
Total formal votes108,18196.47−0.05
Informal votes3,9583.53+0.05
Turnout112,13992.87+3.76
Two-party-preferred result
LaborMark Dreyfus69,60464.34+4.83
LiberalFiona Ottey38,57735.66−4.83
Labor holdSwing+4.83

External links

38°02′20″S 145°10′16″E/38.039°S 145.171°E/ -38.039; 145.171