The Division of Capricornia is an Australian electoral division in the state of Queensland. It comprises the city of Rockhampton and stretches along the Pacific coast until the southwestern outer suburbs of Mackay.

Capricornia was traditionally a Labor-voting electorate, having been Labor-held for 72 years of the 100 years since 1922. However, it has trended towards the Coalition since 2013. That political realignment was particularly noticeable at the 2019 federal election as blue-collar but highly paid mining workers deserted Labor for Pauline Hanson's One Nation and the Coalition. Similar voting trends occurred in the nearby electorates of Flynn and Dawson, as well as in Leichhardt.

Since 2013, its MP has been Michelle Landry 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.

The Division of Capricornia includes the city of Rockhampton, as well as neighbouring towns such as Yeppoon and Emu Park.

History

The division was one of the original 65 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named after the Tropic of Capricorn, which runs through the Division. It is located on the central Queensland coast and its centre has always been the city of Rockhampton. On its current boundaries it also includes the town of Yeppoon and Ooralea, Marian and Sarina, all southern suburbs of Mackay.

The first election saw Alexander Paterson, with 51% of votes, narrowly elected over the ALP candidate Wallace Nelson. For most of its subsequent history it has been a fairly safe seat for the ALP. This was especially true when Gladstone was part of the seat from 1901 to 1984. Even after Gladstone was redistributed to Hinkler in 1984 (it is now part of Flynn), it remained one of the few non-metropolitan seats where Labor consistently did well. Labor held it for all but two terms from 1961 to 2013, the two exceptions being the high-tide elections of 1975 and 1996. Its best-known member was Frank Forde, who was briefly Prime Minister of Australia in 1945.

Capricornia is currently held by Michelle Landry for the Liberal National Party who in 2016, became the first conservative MP to serve more than one term in the seat since George Pearce.

Members Image Member Party Term Notes  Alexander Paterson Independent Free Trade 30 March 1901 –23 November 1903 Retired  David Thomson Labour 16 December 1903 –12 December 1906 Lost seat  Edward Archer Anti-Socialist 12 December 1906 –26 May 1909 Was the first MP who chose to make an affirmation rather than swearing an oath. Lost seat. Later elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Normanby in 1914  Liberal 26 May 1909 –13 April 1910  William Higgs Labor 13 April 1910 –January 1920 Previously a member of the Senate. Served as minister under Hughes. Lost seat  Independent January 1920 –September 1920  Nationalist September 1920 –16 December 1922  Frank Forde Labor 16 December 1922 –28 September 1946 Previously held the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Rockhampton. Served as minister under Scullin, Curtin and Chifley. Served as deputy prime minister under Curtin and Chifley. Served as Prime Minister in 1945. Lost seat. Later elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Flinders in 1955  Charles Davidson Country 28 September 1946 –10 December 1949 Transferred to the Division of Dawson  George Pearce Liberal 10 December 1949 –9 December 1961 Served as Chief Government Whip in the House under Menzies. Lost seat  George Gray Labor 9 December 1961 –2 August 1967 Died in office  Doug Everingham 30 September 1967 –13 December 1975 Served as minister under Whitlam. Lost seat  Colin Carige National Country 13 December 1975 –10 December 1977 Lost seat  Doug Everingham Labor 10 December 1977 –26 October 1984 Retired  Keith Wright 26 October 1984 –1993 Previously held the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Rockhampton. Lost preselection and then lost seat  Independent 1993 –13 March 1993  Marjorie Henzell Labor 13 March 1993 –2 March 1996 Lost seat  Paul Marek Nationals 2 March 1996 –3 October 1998 Lost seat  Kirsten Livermore Labor 3 October 1998 –5 August 2013 Retired  Michelle Landry National 7 September 2013 –present Incumbent

Election results

Notes

References

External links Division of Capricornia (Qld) — Australian Electoral Commission