Division of Aston

The Division of Aston is an Australian Federal Electoral Division in the state of Victoria, located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The suburbs in the division include Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully, Kilsyth South, Knoxfield, Rowville, Scoresby, The Basin, Wantirna and Wantirna South; and parts of Lysterfield, Sassafras, Upper Ferntree Gully, Ringwood, Heathmont and Bayswater North. Template:Clear left

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

When the division was introduced in 1984, it covered areas in the City of Knox which were previously in the Division of Deakin and Division of La Trobe.<ref name=boundaries>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Between 2018 and 2024, the division was co-extensive with the City of Knox local government area. In 2024, it was expanded northwards to include a portion of the City of Maroondah south of Canterbury Road and east of EastLink.<ref name=boundaries/>

Since the 2024 redistribution, the division covered all of City of Knox, and southern portions of City of Maroondah.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

File:Matilda Aston.jpg

Tilly Aston, the division's namesake

The division was created in 1984 and is named after Tilly Aston, a blind writer and teacher who helped found the Library of the Victorian Association of Braille Writers in 1894.

A typical "mortgage belt" seat, it was held by the Labor Party until 1990, but from then until 2023 it was held by the Liberal Party. At the 2022 Australian federal election it was the Liberal Party’s safest seat in metropolitan Melbourne.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, the seat became marginal at that election, with the Liberals experiencing a 11.64% drop in their primary vote and a 7.32% drop in their two-party vote. The very next year, the Australian Labor Party regained the seat from the Liberal Party following the 2023 by-election.<ref> Template:Cite news</ref> Mary Doyle was elected as the new Labor member in the by-election.

Aston has one of the biggest Chinese-Australian communities in Victoria, with more than 22,500 Chinese residents, or about 14 per cent of the electorate's population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Clear left

Members

	Image	Member	Party	Term	Notes
Template:Australian party style|	File:Labor Placeholder.png	John Saunderson Template:Small	Labor	1 December 1984 – 24 March 1990	Previously held the Division of Deakin. Lost seat
Template:Australian party style|	File:Liberal Placeholder.png	Peter Nugent Template:Small	Liberal	24 March 1990 – 24 April 2001	Died in office
Template:Australian party style|	File:Chris Pearce.jpg	Chris Pearce Template:Small		14 July 2001 – 19 July 2010	Retired
Template:Australian party style|	File:Alan Tudge 2018.png	Alan Tudge Template:Small		21 August 2010 – 17 February 2023<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Served as minister under Turnbull and Morrison. Resigned in order to retire from politics.
Template:Australian party style|	File:Mary Doyle at 2025 Aston results declaration (cropped).jpg	Mary Doyle Template:Small	Labor	1 April 2023 – present	Incumbent

External links

• Division of Aston – Australian Electoral Commission