| Kooyong |
Division of La Trobe | Lalor |
 Jason Wood (Lib) His electorate website |  |
Location: Melbourne: Berwick, Emerald, Ferntree Gully, Narre Warren Division named for: Charles La Trobe Lieutenant-Governor of Port Phillip District 1851-1854 Median weekly family income: $1,082 (34th highest) Persons born in non English speaking countries: 8.4% (79th highest) Persons in professional occupations: 24.4% (82nd highest) Persons aged 65 and over: 9.2% (123rd highest) Couple families with dependent children: 44.5% (21st highest) Dwellings being purchased: 42.5% (5th highest) Sitting member: Jason Wood (Liberal), elected 2004, 2007 Born: 24 May 1968, Sydney. Career: Police officer 1996 two-party majority: Liberal 01.4 1998 two-party majority: Liberal 01.0 2001 two-party majority: Liberal 03.7 Effect of 2004 redistribution: no change 2004 two-party majority: Liberal 05.8 2007 two-party majority: Liberal 00.5 
2004 enrolment: 84,835 2007 enrolment: 92,029 (+08.5%) La Trobe was created in 1949, covering most of Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs. It was later cut back to centre on the Dandenong Ranges townships. In the 1990s the seat was extended southwards to take in fast-growing and increasingly affluent suburbs like Berwick and Narre Warren, which are high-mortgage areas sensitive to interest rates and other hip-pocket issues. La Trobe is thus a typical mortgage belt seat, with levels of families with dependent children and dwellings being purchased among the country's highest, and a fairly low level of people in professional occupations. In the 1970s La Trobe was a key marginal seat and was first won by Labor in the Whitlam victory of 1972. Members have included Richard Casey, later Lord Casey and Governor-General 1965-69. Jason Wood won the seat in 2004. Since being reclaimed by the Liberals in 1990, La Trobe has grown increasingly secure, mainly because of the increasing affluence and conservatism of the Berwick - Narre Warren area. Nevertheless it remains within reach for Labor in a good year. Labor had high hopes of winning La Trobe in 2007, with a high-profile candidate in Rodney Cocks, but Wood was able to retain the seat against a a swing of 5.3%. In 2007 the Liberals polled 77% of the two-party vote in Narre Warren East, and over 65% in Berwick, Clyde and Harkaway. Labor polled 64% in Belgrave. | |  Two-party vote by booth, 2007
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