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| Adam Carr's Election Archive
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Australian federal election, 2022
Division of Nicholls, Victoria
Named for: Sir Douglas Nicholls (1906-88) and Lady
(Gladys) Nicholls (1906-81), Indigenous rights activists
Northern Victoria: Echuca, Nagambie, Seymour, Shepparton, Yarrawonga
State seats: All of
Shepparton, parts of
Euroa,
Murray Plains and
Ovens Valley
Local government areas: All of
Campaspe,
Greater Shepparton and
Moira, parts of
Mitchell and
Strathbogie
Borders with:
Bendigo,
Farrer,
Indi and
Mallee
Enrolment at 2019 election: 111,170
Enrolment at 2022 election: 114,542 (+03.0)
1999 republic referendum: No 69.5
2018 same-sex marriage survey: Yes 57.6
Sitting member: Hon Damian Drum (Nationals):
Elected (for Murray) 2016, (for Nicholls) 2019. Retiring 2022
2007 Nationals majority over Labor: 18.3% *
2010 Nationals majority over Labor: 20.4% *
2013 Nationals majority over Labor: 20.9% *
2016 Nationals majority over Liberal: 5.1% *
2019 Nationals majority over Labor 20.0%
2019 notional Nationals majority over Labor 20.0%
* as Murray
Liberal-Nationals two-party vote 1983-2019
Status: Very safe Nationals
Best Nationals booths, two-party vote: Ky Valley (88.2), Undera (88.2), Wyuna (86.6), Katamatite (85.6),
Stanhope (85.5)
Best Labor booths, two-party vote: Broadford (54.3), Seymour (45.3), Wilmot Road (43.6), Tallarook (42.4),
Shepparton South (40.4)
2019 results
Statistics and history
Candidates in ballot-paper order:
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1. Tim Laird
Liberal Democrats |
2. Sam Birrell
The Nationals |
3. Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell
Pauline Hanson's One Nation |
4. Bill Lodwick
Australian Labor Party |
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5. Jeff Davy
Citizens Party |
6. Dr Robert Peterson
United Australia Party |
7. Ian Christoe
Australian Greens |
8. Andrea Otto
Fusion Party |
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9. Steve Brooks
Liberal Party |
10. Eleonor Tabone
Australian Federation Party |
11. Rob Priestly
Independent |
Candidate websites:
Sam Birrell
Steve Brooks
Ian Christoe
Jeff Davy
Tim Laird
Andrea Otto
Dr Robert Peterson
Rob Priestly
Eleonor Tabone
Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell
Division of Nicholls
Nicholls was created by the 2018 redistribution, when the former seat of
Murray, which was created in 1949, was renamed.
The seat has always occupied the central part of the Murray Valley, based on Shepparton. This is one of the most heavily
agricultural parts of Australia, and also one of the most politically conservative. Murray has always been an ulra-safe seat
for the non-Labor parties. Like most rural seats, it has a low level of median family income, and a low proportion of
people born in non English speaking
countries. The 2018 redistribution expanded the seat southwards to take in Seymour and Broadford, without changing
its political character. It remains unchanged by the 2021 redistribution.
The Murray Valley was one of the birthplaces of the Country Party, and the old seat of
Echuca, which covered much the same
territory, first elected a Country Party member in 1919. The loss of Murray to the Liberals in 1996 was thus a shock, and
a symbol of the decline of the Nationals in Victoria. The Nationals' recovery of Murray in 2016 may be seen as a sign of
a revival of the party's fortunes in regional Victoria.
The first member for Murray was
Sir John McEwen, who was briefly Prime Minister in 1967-68 (McEwen had previously been
member for Echuca and
Indi since 1934). His successor,
Bruce Lloyd, was deputy leader of the Nationals from 1987 to 1993 but never held office.
The last time the seat was vacant, in 1996,
Dr Sharman Stone won it for the
Liberals. Stone was a minister in the Howard Government, but was not included in the
Abbott ministry. She retired in 2016, creating a three-cornered contest. Labor came third and directed its preferences to
the Nationals candidate, Damian Drum.
Damian Drum, Nationals MP for Murray since 2016, was a Shepparton businessman, Geelong footballer and Fremantle coach before
entering politics. In 2002 he was elected a Nationals member of the Victorian Legislative Council, and was a minister in the
Baillieu-Napthine government. He was Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister
(Barnaby Joyce) from December 2017 to
March 2018, when he was dropped after Joyce's demise. In December 2021 he announced his retirement. The new Nationals candidate is
Sam Birrell, an agronomist and until recently CEO of Committee for Greater Shepparton. The Liberal candidate is Steve Brooks,
a teacher and farmer.
Demographics:
Median weekly household income: $1,080 (Australia $1,438)
People over 65: 21.6% (Australia 15.8%)
Indigenous: 2.6% (Australia 2.8%)
Australian born: 79.7% (Australia 66.7%)
Non-English-speaking households: 9.1% (Australia 22.2%)
Catholics 24.8% (Australia 22.6%)
No religion 27.7% (Australia 29.6%)
University graduates: 10.7% (Australia 22.0%)
Professional and managerial employment: 28.8% (Australia 35.2%)
Employed in manufacturing and construction: 32.1% (Australia 22.9%)
Employed in agriculture: 17.0% (Australia 3.3%)
Paying a mortgage: 31.9% (Australia 34.5%)
Renting: 25.2% (Australia 30.9%)
Traditional families: 27.3% (Australia 32.8%)
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