The Division of Petrie is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland.
History
The division was created in 1949 and named after Andrew Petrie (1798–1872), a noted civil engineer, pioneer, and explorer, and the first free settler in Brisbane (1837).
The electorate has a higher-than-average percentage of pensioners and self-funded retirees, and is mainly residential, with some light industrial and commercial activities.
Originally a safe Liberal seat, it has become much more marginal since the late 1970s. From 1975 to 2022, it was held by the party of government for all but one term.
Ahead of the 2016 federal election, ABC psephologist Antony Green listed the seat in his election guide as one of eleven which he classed as bellwether electorates.The Bellwether Contests: Antony Green ABC
In the 2022 federal election, Luke Howarth retained the seat with 54.4% of the vote, resulting in the seat becoming marginal after the election.
In the 2025 federal election, Labor candidate Emma Comer won the seat from incumbent Liberal National MP Luke Howarth with 51.01% of the two-party-preferred vote, marking a 5.45% swing to Labor. This result ended over a decade of Liberal National control.
Boundaries 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.
Petrie is located in the northern suburbs of Brisbane, and since a redistribution ahead of the 2010 Federal Election has been centred on the Redcliffe Peninsula.
In the City of Moreton Bay, it includes Clontarf, Kippa-Ring, Margate, Redcliffe, Rothwell, Deception Bay, Scarborough, Woody Point, North Lakes, Mango Hill, Griffin and part of Burpengary.
In the City of Brisbane, it includes Bald Hills, Bracken Ridge, Carseldine and Fitzgibbon, and parts of Aspley and Bridgeman Downs.
Members Image Member Party Term Notes Alan Hulme Liberal 10 December 1949 –9 December 1961 Served as minister under Menzies. Lost seat Reginald O'Brien Labor 9 December 1961 –30 November 1963 Lost seat Sir Alan Hulme Liberal 30 November 1963 –2 November 1972 Served as minister under Menzies, Holt, McEwen, Gorton and McMahon. Retired Marshall Cooke 2 December 1972 –11 April 1974 Lost preselection and retired John Hodges 18 May 1974 –5 March 1983 Served as minister under Fraser. Lost seat Dean Wells Labor 5 March 1983 –1 December 1984 Lost seat. Later elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Murrumba in 1986 John Hodges Liberal 1 December 1984 –11 July 1987 Previous member. Lost seat Gary Johns Labor 11 July 1987 –2 March 1996 Served as minister under Keating. Lost seat Teresa Gambaro Liberal 2 March 1996 –24 November 2007 Lost seat. Later elected to the Division of Brisbane in 2010 Yvette D'Ath Labor 24 November 2007 –7 September 2013 Lost seat. Later elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Redcliffe in 2014 Luke Howarth Liberal 7 September 2013 –3 May 2025 Lost seat Emma Comer Labor 3 May 2025 – present Incumbent
Election results
Notes
References
Division of Petrie (Qld) — Australian Electoral Commission