State Victoria MP Fiona Richardson Electors 44,273 (2014) Founded 1927 Member of parliament Fiona Richardson Party Australian Labor Party | Created 1927 Namesake Suburb of Northcote Demographic Metropolitan Area 21 km² Elector 44,273 (2014) | |
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The electoral district of Northcote (/ˈnoːθ.kət/) is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It covers the suburbs of Alphington, Fairfield, Northcote, Thornbury, and part of Preston. It lies on the northern bank of the Yarra River between the Merri and Darebin creeks.
The seat was created in 1927 as a replacement for Jika Jika, and has been a comfortably safe Labor seat for its entire existence. It has only been held by five members. It most famous member was former Premier John Cain. Upon Cain's retirement in 1957, he was succeeded by Frank Wilkes, who went on to become state Labor leader from 1977 to 1981.
Former ABC newsreader Mary Delahunty was elected in an 1998 by-election. As the electorate was safe for the Labor Party, the Liberals declined to nominate a candidate. However, partly due to the presence of a One Nation candidate, the Liberals took the unusual step of actively campaigning for the Australian Democrats, issuing a 'How to Vote Liberal' card which advocated voting Democrat, and then Premier Jeff Kennett also wrote to voters urging them to vote Democrat.
While the law has since been changed stopping party campaigning directly for other parties, that the seat is safe for Labor has meant the Liberals have often run dead. Since the turn of the millennium, they have often been pushed into third place on the primary vote, allowing other parties, like the Greens in 2002, to become the main challengers to Labor.