The division was created in 1955 and is named for Billy Hughes, who was Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923. Originally a marginal Labor seat, it was taken by the Liberals in their 1966 landslide.[1] However, the Liberal margin was redistributed away in 1968 when most of its Liberal-friendly territory was shifted to newly created Cook, and Labor won it back on a large swing. It remained in Labor hands for the next quarter-century, though it became increasingly marginal from 1984 onward.
It was one of many marginal seats taken by the Liberals in the 1996 landslide. The Liberals have held it ever since – although they came close to losing it in the 2007 Labor landslide – and it is now generally considered to be a safe Liberal seat.[1]
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.[4]
Alluvial diagram for preference flows in the seat of Hughes in the 2022 federal election. Y indicates at what stage the winning candidate had over 50% of the votes and was declared the winner.
The sitting member, Craig Kelly was elected as a Liberal, but resigned from the party in 2021, subsequently joining United Australia.
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