Division of Hughes

The Division of Hughes is an Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales.

Hughes Australian House of Representatives Division
Interactive map of electorate boundaries from the 2025 federal election
Created	1955
MP	David Moncrieff
Party	Labor
Namesake	Billy Hughes
Electors	114,925 (2025)
Area	380 km2 (146.7 sq mi)
Demographic	Outer metropolitan

History

Billy Hughes, the division's namesake

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 held it up until 2025, although they came close to losing it in the 2007 Labor landslide – and for 30 years it was generally considered to be a safe Liberal seat.^[1]

The member for Hughes between the 2010 federal election and the 2022 Australian federal election was Craig Kelly. He served as a Liberal until he resigned from the party to sit as an Independent in February 2021,^[2] before joining Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party in August 2021.^[3] In the 2022 Australian federal election, the Liberal Party of Australia won the seat back, with Jenny Ware becoming the new MP. Ware was defeated after one term by Labor's David Moncrieff at the 2025 Australian federal election amid the Liberals' collapse in metropolitan Australia.^[4]

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.^[5]

The division is located in southern and southwestern Sydney, including parts of the Sutherland Shire, Liverpool City and Campbelltown City. Suburbs of it in the Sutherland Shire include Alfords Point, Audley, Bangor, Barden Ridge, Bonnet Bay, Bundeena, Como, Engadine, Garie Beach, Heathcote, Illawong, Loftus, Lucas Heights, Maianbar, Menai, Sandy Point, Waterfall, Woronora, Woronora Heights, and Yarrawarrah; as well as parts of Jannali, Sutherland, and Royal National Park.

Suburbs of the electorate in Liverpool City include Hammondville, Holsworthy, Pleasure Point, Voyager Point and Wattle Grove; as well as parts of Casula and Moorebank. The Liverpool Military Area—comprising Holsworthy Barracks and Steele Barracks—is also located in the electorate.

Suburbs of the electorate in Campbelltown City include Ingleburn, Long Point, Macquarie Fields and Macquarie Links; as well as parts of Bardia and Glenfield.

Members

Image		Member	Party	Term	Notes
		Les Johnson (1924–2015)	Labor	10 December 1955 – 26 November 1966	Lost seat
		Don Dobie (1927–1996)	Liberal	26 November 1966 – 25 October 1969	Transferred to the Division of Cook
		Les Johnson (1924–2015)	Labor	25 October 1969 – 19 December 1983	Served as minister under Whitlam. Resigned to become Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand
		Robert Tickner (1951–)		18 February 1984 – 2 March 1996	Served as minister under Hawke and Keating. Lost seat
		Danna Vale (1944–)	Liberal	2 March 1996 – 19 July 2010	Served as minister under Howard. Retired
		Craig Kelly (1963–)		21 August 2010 – 23 February 2021	Lost seat
			Independent	23 February 2021 – 23 August 2021
			United Australia	23 August 2021 – 21 May 2022
		Jenny Ware (1970–)	Liberal	21 May 2022 – 3 May 2025	Lost seat
		David Moncrieff	Labor	3 May 2025 – present	Incumbent

Election results

Main article: Electoral results for the Division of Hughes

This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2025 Australian federal election in New South Wales § Hughes.[edit]

2025 Australian federal election: Hughes^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	David Moncrieff	38,331	39.00	+11.08
	Liberal	Jenny Ware	35,831	36.45	−3.95
	Greens	Catherine Dyson	11,221	11.42	+4.99
	One Nation	Deborah Swinbourn	5,253	5.34	+1.89
	Trumpet of Patriots	Alex Scarfone	2,777	2.83	+2.83
	Family First	Nathaniel Marsh	2,379	2.42	+2.42
	Libertarian	Elvis Sinosic	1,917	1.95	+0.78
	Citizens	David A. W. Miller	586	0.60	+0.60
Total formal votes			98,295	91.44	−3.39
Informal votes			9,205	8.56	+3.39
Turnout			107,500	93.57	+1.48
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	David Moncrieff	52,152	53.06	+6.52
	Liberal	Jenny Ware	46,143	46.94	−6.52
	Labor gain from Liberal		Swing	+6.52