Sydenham – Victoria 2018

ALP 16.3%

Incumbent MP
Natalie Hutchins, since 2014. Previously member for Keilor 2010-2014.

Geography
North-western Melbourne. Sydenham covers northern parts of the City of Brimbank and eastern parts of Melton Shire. Sydenham covers the suburbs of Calder Park, Delahey, Hillside, Keilor Lodge, Taylors Hill, Taylors Lakes and Sydenham.

History
Keilor was first created for the 1976 election. It was always won by the ALP, and was replaced by Sydenham in 2014.

Keilor was first won in 1976 by Jack Ginifer. He had been an MP since winning a by-election in the seat of Grant in 1966. Grant was abolished in 1967 and he moved to the new seat of Deer Park, which he held until 1976, when Deer Park itself was abolished, and he moved to Keilor. Ginifer was appointed a minister in the new Labor state government in April 1982, but resigned from Parliament a month later, and died two months after that.

George Seitz won the 1982 by-election, and has held the seat ever since. Seitz never achieved ministerial office in the Cain, Kirner, Bracks or Brumby governments, and faced allegations of local branch-stacking in his later years in office.  Seitz managed to gain an exemption in 2006 from ALP rules requiring MPs to retire at 65. Facing withdrawal of his preselection, he announced he would retire at the 2010 election.

Keilor was won in 2010 by Labor candidate Natalie Hutchins. She was re-elected in Sydenham in 2014.

Candidates

• Maria Kerr (Liberal)
• Natalie Hutchins (Labor)
• Ramanjit Singh (Independent)
• Clinton Hare (Greens)

Assessment
Sydenham is a safe Labor seat.

2014 result

2014 two-party-preferred result

Booth breakdown

Booths in Sydenham have been divided into three areas: central, east and west.

Labor won a majority of the two-party-preferred vote in all three areas, ranging from 64.7% in the west to 67.6% in the east.

Two-party-preferred votes in Sydenham at the 2014 Victorian state election

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