State Victoria MP Brian Paynter Demographic Rural Area 1,383 km² Elector 44,492 | Created 2002 Electors 44,492 (2014) Founded 2002 Member of parliament Brian Paynter | |
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Party Liberal Party of Australia | ||
The Electoral district of Bass is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It covers an area of 1,383 square kilometres (534 sq mi) south east of Melbourne, stretching from outer suburban Pakenham through rural areas to the coast at Inverloch and Phillip Island. It includes the towns of Bass, Cape Patterson, Corinella, Cowes, Grantville, Inverloch, Kilcunda, Koo Wee Rup, Lang Lang, Rhyll, San Remo, Ventnor, Wonthaggi, and part of suburban Pakenham. It lies within the Eastern Victoria Region of the upper house, the Legislative Council.
Bass was created in a redistribution for the 2002 election. It largely replaced the abolished electorate of Gippsland West, held by independent Susan Davies. However, the seat is located in traditional Liberal territory, and on the new boundaries it was marginally Liberal on a "traditional" two-party basis. Davies contested Bass, but was defeated by Liberal candidate Ken Smith, who had been the member for the relevant Legislative Council seat of Gippsland Province since 1988. Smith's win was the only Liberal gain in an election which saw Labor score its biggest-ever victory in Victoria.
Smith did not face serious opposition at the 2006 election. at which Bass returned to being a safe Liberal seat as its predecessor had been. He was reelected almost as easily at the 2010 election. He subsequently served as Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 2010 to 2014.
Smith retired at the 2014 state election after losing the speakership in February 2014, when he lost the support of balance of power independent MP Geoff Shaw. Brian Paynter, a local accountant, succeeded him as Liberal candidate and member for Bass.