Division of Dawson

The Division of Dawson is an Australian electoral division in the state of Queensland. It comprises the city of Mackay and the coastal region north-west, including the Whitsunday Islands, until the south-eastern suburbs of Townsville across the Ross River.

Since 2022 its MP has been Andrew Willcox of the National Party.

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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Division of Dawson includes the city of Mackay, as well as other neighbouring towns to the north-west, including Farleigh, Kuttabul, Mount Ossa, Seaforth and Calen. Along the Bruce Highway other towns include Bloomsbury, Proserpine, Bowen, Home Hill, Ayr and Giru until the south-eastern suburbs of Townsville across the Ross River. It also includes the Whitsunday Islands.

History

File:AndersonDawson.jpg

Anderson Dawson, the division's namesake

The division was created in 1949 and is named after Anderson Dawson, the first Labor Premier of Queensland and leader of the first parliamentary socialist government anywhere in the world.

Apart from a period from 1966 to 1975 and 2007 to 2010, it has been held by the National Party. While Mackay, the largest city wholly within the electorate, is a longstanding Labor stronghold, it is usually not enough to overcome the region's overall conservative leaning.

Members

Image		Member	Party	Term	Notes
Template:Australian party style|	File:CharlesDavidson1962 (cropped).jpg	Charles Davidson Template:Small	Country	10 December 1949 – 1 November 1963	Previously held the Division of Capricornia. Served as minister under Menzies. Retired
Template:Australian party style|	File:GeorgeShaw1964.jpg	George Shaw Template:Small		30 November 1963 – 9 January 1966	Died in office
Template:Australian party style|	File:Rex Patterson 1973 (cropped).jpg	Rex Patterson Template:Small	Labor	26 February 1966 – 13 December 1975	Served as minister under Whitlam. Lost seat
Template:Australian party style|	File:Nationals Placeholder.png	Ray Braithwaite Template:Small	National Country	13 December 1975 – 16 October 1982	Retired
Template:Australian party style|			Nationals	16 October 1982 – 29 January 1996
Template:Australian party style|	File:De-Anne Kelly 2006.jpg	De-Anne Kelly Template:Small		2 March 1996 – 24 November 2007	Served as minister under Howard. Lost seat
Template:Australian party style|	File:JamesBidgoodmemberforDawson.jpg	James Bidgood Template:Small	Labor	24 November 2007 – 19 July 2010	Retired
Template:Australian party style|	File:George Christensen.png	George Christensen Template:Small	NationalTemplate:Efn	21 August 2010 – 27 March 2022	Did not contest in 2022. Failed to win a Senate seat
Template:Australian party style|			One Nation	27 March 2022 – 21 May 2022
Template:Australian party style|	File:Andrew Wilcox Bridget McKenzie Steven Miles 2021 (cropped).jpg	Andrew Willcox Template:Small	NationalTemplate:Efn	21 May 2022 – present	Incumbent

Election results

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External links

• Division of Dawson (Qld) — Australian Electoral Commission