Brunswick: Federal Electorate Explained

Brunswick is in the federal electorate of Wills, which is an Australian electoral division of Victoria. The Division of Wills covers 46 square kilometres and includes the suburbs of Brunswick, Brunswick East, Brunswick West, Coburg, parts of Coburg North, Pascoe Vale South, Oak Park, Hadfield, Glenroy and Fawnker. The electorate of Wills is currently represented by Peter Khalil of the Australian Labor Party.

Brunswick is in the Division of Wills

The Division of Wills was created in the 1949 redistribution and was named after William John Wills of Burke and Wills fame. Wills has been traditionally a strong Labour seat, with the party holding it since its creation in 1949, except for a brief period between 1992 and 1996 when it was held by an independent candidate, Phil Cleary. In recent years, however, there has been an increase in support for the Greens in the area, particularly in Brunswick, which has undergone inner-city gentrification. This has made Wills a key contest between Labour and the Greens.

In the 2022 federal election, Peter Khalil of the Australian Labor Party was re-elected for his third term as the representative for Wills. Khalil first won the seat in 2016, and his victory in 2022 marked a slight increase in support for Labor in the area, with their margin over the Greens rising to over 8%. This can be attributed to the Labor Party's traditional support in the area, as well as the demographic changes and the rise of The Greens.

While the Greens have gained support in Wills, particularly in the inner-city areas like Brunswick, Labor's support remains strong in the outer areas of the division. This is evident in the voting patterns, where Labor's vote increases the further away from the Green heartland in Brunswick. This trend was also observed in the 2019 election, where Labor recorded two-candidate preferred majorities at 38 out of 46 polling places, with their vote ranging from 42.5% in Brunswick South to 74.4% in Glenroy College.

Wills covers 46 sq km

The Division of Wills is an Australian electoral division of Victoria. It is represented by Peter Khalil of the Australian Labor Party. Wills covers 46 sq km and includes the suburbs of Brunswick, Brunswick East, Brunswick West, Coburg, parts of Coburg North, Pascoe Vale South, Oak Park, Hadfield, Glenroy, and Fawkner. The electorate is named after William John Wills, the astronomer and surveyor of a government expedition to cross Australia from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1860.

Wills is a diverse electorate, with a large population of migrants from Italy and Greece, as well as a growing number of African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian migrants. As of the 2016 Census, Wills had a population of 154,000, with 34% born overseas and 38% speaking a language other than English at home. The top five languages spoken, other than English, are Italian, Arabic, Greek, Urdu, and Mandarin.

The electorate encompasses many of the suburbs in the City of Merri-bek in Melbourne's north, including the suburbs mentioned above, as well as Essendon Airport. Wills was created with the expansion of Parliament at the 1949 election and has been in Labor hands for most of its existence, except between the 1992 by-election and 1996, when it was held by independent Phil Cleary.

Wills has undergone inner-city gentrification, particularly in Brunswick, which has led to a surge in support for the Greens in the seat. The Greens have gained support in Wills due to the relatively large immigrant communities and changing demographics. Despite this, Labor's margin over the Greens increased at the 2019 and 2022 elections, with the Labor vote increasing the further residents live from the Green heartland of Brunswick.

Wills includes suburbs like Brunswick, Coburg, Pascoe Vale

The federal electorate of Brunswick is the Division of Wills, which includes suburbs like Brunswick, Coburg, and Pascoe Vale, as well as others such as Fawkner, Hadfield, and Glenroy. Covering 46 square kilometres, the Division of Wills is an Australian electoral division of Victoria, currently represented by Peter Khalil of the Australian Labor Party.

Wills is a diverse electorate with a large migrant population, particularly from Italy and Greece, as well as a growing number of African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian migrants. The division was named after William John Wills of Burke and Wills fame, an astronomer and surveyor of a government expedition in 1860.

The suburbs of Brunswick, Coburg, and Pascoe Vale are part of the City of Merri-bek in Melbourne's north. Brunswick, in particular, has undergone inner-city gentrification, leading to a surge in support for the Greens. However, the Labor vote tends to increase the further residents live from the Green heartland of Brunswick. This was evident in the 2019 election results, where Labor recorded two-candidate preferred majorities at 38 out of 46 polling places, with the percentage of votes increasing as you move away from Brunswick.

The federal electorate of Brunswick, or the Division of Wills, has a rich political history. While it has been a traditional Labor stronghold, demographic changes and the rise of the Greens have made it a competitive contest between Labor and the Greens in recent years. The Greens' growing support in Wills poses a significant challenge to Labor's dominance in the electorate.

Wills was named after William John Wills

The federal electorate of Brunswick is an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It covers an area of 14 square kilometres in inner northern Melbourne and includes the suburbs of Brunswick, Brunswick East, Carlton North, Fitzroy North, Princes Hill, and parts of Brunswick West.

The seat has been held by the Labor Party and the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist) for most of its existence, except for recent wins by the Greens in 2018 and 2022.

Now, onto the topic of Wills, which was named after William John Wills, an Australian explorer.

William John Wills was born on 5 January 1834 in Totnes, Devon, England, to Dr William Wills and Sarah Mary Elizabeth Wills (née Calley). As a child, he suffered a fever that left him with a speech impairment, but this did not hold him back from pursuing his interests in exploration and natural phenomena.

Wills moved to Australia with his brother Thomas in 1853, becoming shepherds at Deniliquin, New South Wales. They were later joined by their father, who set up a medical practice in Ballarat, Victoria, with William as his assistant. Wills also worked in the River Wannon district, studied surveying, and became an assistant at the astronomical and magnetical observatories in Melbourne under Professor G. B. Neumayer.

Neumayer, who was a member of the exploration committee of the Royal Society of Victoria, encouraged Wills to join the government expedition to cross Australia to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Robert O'Hara Burke was named the leader of this expedition, with Wills as his second-in-command, surveyor, and astronomer. The expedition left Melbourne in August 1860 but faced several challenges, including a dispute that led to the dismissal of George James Landells, after which Wills became Burke's lieutenant.

The party arrived at Cooper's Creek in November 1860 and set out for the Gulf of Carpentaria in December with limited provisions. They reached their destination in February 1861 but were unable to return due to the swamps and jungle scrub. The group began to suffer from shortages of food and illness, and one member, Charles Gray, died in April. Against Wills's judgment, the remaining survivors moved down Cooper's Creek towards Adelaide instead of returning to their original route, where they may have found more supplies.

Wills was left in camp while Burke and King sought help from the local Aboriginal people. Unfortunately, Burke died, and when King returned, he found Wills already deceased. Wills's diary, which detailed the physical toughness and challenges of the journey, was found and later used as the basis for a book titled "Successful Exploration Through the Interior of Australia."

The tragic story of Burke and Wills has been commemorated with memorials in Melbourne and other Victorian towns, as well as in Wills's birthplace of Totnes, Devon, England.

Wills has a large migrant population

The Division of Wills is an Australian electoral division of Victoria, currently represented by Peter Khalil of the Australian Labor Party. Wills is a diverse electorate that is home to many communities, including a large migrant population.

Wills has a significant migrant population, with 34% of its residents born overseas, according to the 2016 Census. This diversity is reflected in the variety of languages spoken within the community, with 38% of residents speaking a language other than English at home. The top five languages spoken, other than English, are Italian, Arabic, Greek, Urdu, and Mandarin. Wills' large migrant population contributes to its cultural richness and vibrant community life.

The electorate encompasses many suburbs in the City of Merri-bek in Melbourne's north, covering 46 square kilometers. Suburbs within the electorate include Brunswick, Brunswick East, Brunswick West, Coburg, Pascoe Vale, and Glenroy, among others.

The presence of a large migrant population in Wills has had a significant impact on the cultural landscape of the area. The variety of languages, traditions, and customs brought by migrants from Italy, Greece, and other countries has enriched the local community. This diversity is evident in the variety of restaurants, shops, and cultural events that cater to the diverse tastes and interests of the migrant population.

The migrant population in Wills has also contributed to the economic growth and development of the area. Many migrants have started businesses, created jobs, and attracted investment to the region. Their contributions have helped to transform and revitalize neighborhoods, particularly through the process of inner-city gentrification. This has led to a surge in support for the Greens in the seat, as the party often aligns with the values and interests of urban, progressive, and environmentally conscious voters.

Wills' large migrant population is a key characteristic of the electorate, shaping its cultural, social, and economic landscape. The diverse communities within Wills contribute to a vibrant, dynamic, and ever-evolving community that reflects the multicultural fabric of modern Australia.

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