View source for Division of Murray

{{short description|Former Australian federal electoral division}}
{{About|the Australian federal electorate|the New South Wales state electorate|Electoral district of Murray|the historical South Australian state electorate|Electoral district of Murray (South Australia)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox Australian Electorate
| federal       = yes
| name          = Murray
| image         = Division of MURRAY 2016.png
| caption       = Division of Murray in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], as of the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 federal election]]
| created       = 1949
| abolished     = 2019
| namesake      = [[Murray River]]
| electors      = 104359
| electors_year = [[2016 Australian federal election|2016]]
| area          = 16229
| class         = Rural
}}

The '''Division of Murray''' was an [[Divisions of the Australian House of Representatives|Australian Electoral Division]] in the [[States and territories of Australia|state]] of [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]. It was located in the north of the state, adjoining the [[Murray River]], which forms Victoria's border with [[New South Wales]]. It included the towns of [[Shepparton]], [[Echuca]], [[Cobram]], [[Yarrawonga, Victoria|Yarrawonga]], [[Boort]] and [[Bridgewater On Loddon, Victoria|Bridgewater]]. In 2018 the division was renamed the [[Division of Nicholls]], coming into effect at the [[2019 Australian federal election|2019 federal election]].

==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.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Muller |first1=Damon |title=The process of federal redistributions: a quick guide |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1718/Quick_Guides/FederalRedistributions |website=Parliament of Australia |access-date=19 April 2022 |date=14 November 2017}}</ref>

When the division was created in 1949, it replaced parts of the [[Division of Indi]] around the [[Shepparton, Victoria|Shepparton]] area and parts of the [[Division of Bendigo]] around the [[Echuca, Victoria|Echuca]] and [[Rochester, Victoria|Rochester]] areas.<ref name=boundaries>{{cite web|url=https://handbook.aph.gov.au/Electorate/Murray/State/Victoria|title=Murray|website=Parliamentary Handbook|access-date=9 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://handbook.aph.gov.au/Electorate/Indi/State/Victoria|title=Indi|website=Parliamentary Handbook|access-date=9 June 2025}}</ref> However, Indi and Bendigo only began to cover those areas 12 years earlier in 1937, when the [[Division of Echuca]] was abolished. The new division of Murray shared similar areas and boundaries with much of the division of Echuca prior to the latter's abolition.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://handbook.aph.gov.au/Electorate/Echuca/State/Victoria|title=Echuca|website=Parliamentary Handbook|access-date=9 June 2025}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:MurrayBridgeMurrayRiver.JPG|thumb|left|The [[Murray River]], the division's namesake]]
The Division was proclaimed at the redistribution of 11 May 1949, and was first contested at the [[1949 Australian federal election|1949 election]]. It was named after the Murray River, which itself was named after [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Secretary of State for War and the Colonies]] [[George Murray (British Army officer)|Sir George Murray]]. It was first held by [[John McEwen]], who was the last member for Echuca until 1937, and member for Indi between 1937 and 1949. Both Echuca and Indi had covered similar areas to the Division of Murray during those times. 

McEwen served as [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]] after the [[disappearance of Harold Holt]], and subsequently became the inaugural [[Deputy Prime Minister of Australia|Deputy Prime Minister]] under [[John Gorton]]. His successor in the seat, [[Bruce Lloyd]], went on to serve as deputy leader to three successive Nationals leaders - [[Ian Sinclair]], [[Charles Blunt]] and [[Tim Fischer]].

Murray was in the hands of either the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]] or [[National Party of Australia|National]] parties for its entire existence. At the time of its abolition, it was the [[Safe seat|third-safest]] [[Coalition (Australia)|coalition]]-held seat in Australia, with a 20-point swing required for [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]] to win it.

In 2018 the division was renamed the [[Division of Nicholls]], coming into effect at the [[2019 Australian federal election|2019 federal election]]. 
{{clear left}}

==Members==
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
|-
!
! Image
! Member
! Party
! Term
! Notes
|-

|-
| {{Australian party style|Country}}|&nbsp;
| [[File:Sir John McEwen.jpg|100px]]
| [[John McEwen]]<br />{{small|(1900–1980)}}
| rowspan="2" | [[National Party of Australia|Country]]
| nowrap | [[1949 Australian federal election|10 December 1949]] –<br/>1 February 1971
| Previously held the Division of [[Division of Indi|Indi]]. Served as minister under [[Menzies Government (1949-1966)|Menzies]], [[Holt Government|Holt]] and [[Gorton Government|Gorton]]. Served as [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]] from [[McEwen Ministry|1967 to 1968]]. Served as [[Deputy Prime Minister of Australia|Deputy Prime Minister]] under [[John Gorton|Gorton]]. Resigned to retire from politics

|-
| {{Australian party style|Country}}|&nbsp;
| rowspan=3 | [[File:Bruce Lloyd 1974 (cropped).jpg|100px]]
| rowspan=3 | [[Bruce Lloyd]]<br>{{small|(1937–)}}
| nowrap | [[1971 Murray by-election|20 March 1971]] –<br/>2 May 1975
| rowspan=3 | Retired
|-
| {{Australian party style|National Country}}|&nbsp;
| [[National Party of Australia|National Country]]
| nowrap | 2 May 1975 –<br/>16 October 1982
|-
| {{Australian party style|National}}|&nbsp;
| [[National Party of Australia|Nationals]]
| nowrap | 16 October 1982 –<br/>[[1996 Australian federal election|29 January 1996]]

|-
| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}|&nbsp;
| [[File:Sharman Stone.jpg|100px]]
| [[Sharman Stone]]<br />{{small|(1951–)}}
| [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]]
| nowrap | [[1996 Australian federal election|2 March 1996]] –<br/>[[2016 Australian federal election|9 May 2016]]
| Served as minister under [[Howard Government|Howard]]. Retired

|-
| {{Australian party style|Nationals}}|&nbsp;
| [[File:Aus LNP MPs Bangkok (cropped Drum).jpg|100px]]
| [[Damian Drum]]<br />{{small|(1960–)}}
| [[National Party of Australia|Nationals]]
| nowrap | [[2016 Australian federal election|2 July 2016]] –<br/>[[2019 Australian federal election|11 April 2019]]
| Previously a member of the [[Victorian Legislative Council]]. Transferred to the Division of [[Division of Nicholls|Nicholls]] after Murray was abolished in 2019
|}

==Election results==
{{main|Electoral results for the Division of Murray}}

{{Election box begin
|title=[[2016 Australian federal election]]: Murray<ref>[http://results.aec.gov.au/20499/Website/HouseDivisionPage-20499-231.htm Murray, VIC], Virtual Tally Room 2016, Australian Electoral Commission.</ref>
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = [[Damian Drum]]
|party = Nationals
|votes = 31,105
|percentage = 35.34
|change = +35.34
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Duncan McGauchie
|party = Liberal
|votes = 28,194
|percentage = 32.03
|change = −29.38
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Alan Williams
|party = Labor
|votes = 13,188
|percentage = 14.98
|change = −5.76
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Ian Christoe
|party = Greens
|votes = 3,880
|percentage = 4.41
|change = +0.48
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Robert Danieli
|party = Australian Country
|votes = 3,556
|percentage = 4.04
|change = +4.04
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Fern Summer
|party = Independent
|votes = 3,323
|percentage = 3.78
|change = +3.78
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Andrew Bock
|party = Independent
|votes = 1,467
|percentage = 1.67
|change = +1.67
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Yasmin Gunasekera
|party = Rise Up Australia
|votes = 1,195
|percentage = 1.36
|change = +0.73
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Diane Teasdale
|party = Independent
|votes = 1,037
|percentage = 1.18
|change = +1.18
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Nigel Hicks
|party = Independent
|votes = 844
|percentage = 0.96
|change = +0.96
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Jeff Davy
|party = CEC
|votes = 227
|percentage = 0.26
|change = −0.10
}}
{{Election box formal
|votes = 88,016
|percentage = 91.16
|change = −2.51
}}
{{Election box informal
|votes = 8,530
|percentage = 8.84
|change = +2.51
}}
{{Election box turnout
|votes = 96,546
|percentage = 92.51
|change = −2.04
}}
{{Election box 2cp}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = [[Damian Drum]]
|party = Nationals
|votes = 48,527
|percentage = 55.13
|change = +55.13
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Duncan McGauchie
|party = Liberal
|votes = 39,489
|percentage = 44.87
|change = −26.00
}}
{{Election box gain AU party|
|winner = Nationals
|loser = Liberal
|swing = N/A
}}
{{Election box end}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.aec.gov.au/profiles/vic/murray.htm Division of Murray - Australian Electoral Commission]

{{Australian federal divisions of Victoria}}

{{coord|-36.279|144.646|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Division of}}
[[Category:Former electoral divisions of Australia]]
[[Category:Constituencies established in 1949]]
[[Category:Constituencies disestablished in 2019]]
[[Category:1949 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:2019 disestablishments in Australia]]