Home | Australian Electorate | Division of Oxley
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The original Division of Oxley was established in 1901, and was abolished and replaced by the Division of Griffith in 1934. Bill Hayden was the Labor Opposition Leader between 1977 and 1983, when he resigned under pressure the same day that the 1983 election which swept Bob Hawke to power was called. Hayden left politics to become Governor-General in 1988. In 1996, the seat became most well-known for controversial social conservative MP Pauline Hanson who was elected as a Liberal-turned-independent, but the seat was heavily redistributed in 1997, splitting her main support base of Ipswich between Oxley and Blair. Hanson contested the seat of Blair, winning 36% of the primary vote but losing to the Liberals (who got 21%) under Australia's system of preferential voting. |