Regions of the Victorian Legislative Council (2022)

Members of the

Victorian Legislative Council The Victorian Legislative Council (VLC) is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria, Australia, the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit at Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative C ...

, the upper house of the

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

of the Australian State of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, are elected from eight multi-member electorates called regions. The Legislative Council has 40 members, five from each of the eight regions. The boundaries of the electoral regions were last drawn in 2021.

Reform of 2003

A major reform of the Parliament was made by the Labor government, led by Steve Bracks, by the ''Constitution (Parliamentary Reform) Act'' 2003. Under the new system, members of the Legislative Council serve terms linked to elections for the Legislative Assembly, which are fixed four-year terms, unless dissolved sooner. Each electoral region consists of 11 contiguous Legislative Assembly electoral districts with about 420,000 electors each. Each region elects five members to the Legislative Council by a

single transferable vote Single transferable vote (STV) is a multi-winner electoral system in which voters cast a single vote in the form of a ranked-choice ballot. Voters have the option to rank candidates, and their vote may be transferred according to alternate ...

. There are currently 40 members of the Legislative Council, four fewer than previously. The changes also introduced

proportional representation Proportional representation (PR) refers to a type of electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to geographical (e.g. states, regions) and political divis ...

, making it easier for minor parties to gain seats in the Legislative Council. With each region electing 5 members, the quota for a seat in each region, after distribution of preferences, is 16.7% (one-sixth). At the same time, the Council's ability to block supply was removed. The Electoral Boundaries Commission drew the boundaries of the new regions in 2005. The new system came into effect for the 2006 Victorian election.

Current regions

Victoria is divided into eight electoral regions, 3 rural and 5 metropolitan: *

Eastern Victoria Region Eastern Victoria Region is one of the eight electoral regions of Victoria, Australia, which elects five members to the Victorian Legislative Council (also referred to as the upper house) by proportional representation. The region was created in 2 ...

* North-Eastern Metropolitan Region *

Northern Metropolitan Region Northern Metropolitan Region is one of the eight electoral regions of Victoria, Australia, which elects five members to the Victorian Legislative Council (also referred to as the upper house) by proportional representation. The region was create ...

Northern Victoria Region Northern Victoria Region is one of the eight electoral regions of Victoria, Australia, which elects five members to the Victorian Legislative Council (also referred to as the upper house) by proportional representation. The region was created i ...

South-Eastern Metropolitan Region South-Eastern Metropolitan Region is one of the eight electoral regions of Victoria, Australia, which elects five members to the Victorian Legislative Council (also referred to as the upper house) by proportional representation. The region was cr ...

Southern Metropolitan Region Southern Metropolitan Region is one of the eight electoral regions of Victoria, Australia, which elects five members to the Victorian Legislative Council (also referred to as the upper house) by proportional representation. The region was creat ...

Western Metropolitan Region Western Metropolitan Region is one of the eight electoral regions of Victoria, Australia, which elects five members to the Victorian Legislative Council (also referred to as the upper house) by proportional representation. The region was create ...

Western Victoria Region Western Victoria Region is one of the eight electoral regions of Victoria, Australia, which elects five members to the Victorian Legislative Council (also referred to as the upper house) by proportional representation. The region was created in ...

The boundaries of the electoral regions were last drawn in 2021 in unison with the redistricting of electorates. Prior to the 2022 state election, the Eastern Metropolitan Region was renamed the North-Eastern Metropolitan region.

Provinces 1856 to 2006

The Legislative Council was formerly elected from 22 single-member electorates called "provinces". The members of the council sat for two assembly terms so two members sat for each province. This is a list of the provinces as of 2005: *

Ballarat Province Ballarat Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council from 1937 until 2006, located around Ballarat. Ballarat, along with Doutta Galla, Higinbotham and Monash Provinces was created in the expansion of the Legislative Co ...

(1937) *

Central Highlands Province Central Highlands Province was an electorate of the Legislative Council of Victoria The Victorian Legislative Council (VLC) is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria, Australia, the lower house being the Legislative Assem ...

(1976) * Chelsea Province (1976) *

Doutta Galla Province Doutta Galla Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council The Victorian Legislative Council (VLC) is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria, Australia, the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Bot ...

(1937) *

East Yarra Province East Yarra Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council The Victorian Legislative Council (VLC) is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria, Australia, the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both ...

(1904) *

Eumemmerring Province Eumemmerring Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council. It existed as a two-member electorate from 1985 to 2006, with members holding alternating eight-year terms. It was a marginal seat throughout its existence, changing p ...

(1985) *

Geelong Province Geelong Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council until 2006, located around Geelong. It was abolished from the 2006 state election in the wake of the Bracks Labor government's reform of the Legislative Council. The a ...

(1976) *

Gippsland Province Gippsland Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council from November 1882 until 2006. It was based in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. Gippsland Province was created in the redistribution of provinces in 1882 wh ...

(1882) *

Higinbotham Province Higinbotham Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council. It existed as a two-member electorate from 1937 to 2006, with members serving alternating eight-year terms. It was considered a safe seat for the Liberal throughout ...

(1937) *

Jika Jika Province Jika Jika Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council in Victoria, Australia. It existed as a two-member electorate from 1985 to 2006, with members holding alternating eight-year terms. It was a safe seat for the Labor Part ...

(1985) *

Koonung Province Koonung Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council. It existed as a two-member electorate from 1992 to 2006, with members serving alternating eight-year terms. It replaced the abolished Boronia Province. It was a safe seat ...

(1992) *

Melbourne Province Melbourne Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council (Australia). Melbourne Province was created in 1882 when Central Province was abolished in the redistribution of Provinces. Its area included central Melbourne, Carlto ...

(1882) *

Melbourne North Province Melbourne North Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council The Victorian Legislative Council (VLC) is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria, Australia, the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. ...

(1904) *

Melbourne West Province Melbourne West Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council from 1904 until 2006. It was created in June 1904 when Melbourne Province was reduced in size (four members down to two), North Yarra Province and South Yarra Pro ...

(1904) *

Monash Province Monash Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council until 2006. It was abolished from the 2006 state election in the wake of the Bracks Bracks is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Kate Bracks (born 1974), A ...

(1937) * North Eastern Province (1882) * North Western Province^# (1856) * Silvan Province (1992) *

South Eastern Province South Eastern Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council from November 1882. It was created in the redistribution of provinces in 1882 when the original provinces of Central and Eastern were abolished. The new South Eastern, ...

(1882) *

Templestowe Province Templestowe Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council. It existed as a two-member electorate from 1967 to 2006, with members serving alternating eight-year terms. It was traditionally held by the Liberal Party, but was held b ...

(1967) *

Waverley Province Waverley Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council. It existed as a two-member electorate from 1976 to 2006, with members holding alternating eight-year terms. It was a marginal seat for its entire existence, often changin ...

(1976) *

Western Province Western Province or West Province may refer to: * Western Province, Cameroon *Western Province, Rwanda *Western Province (Kenya) *Western Province (Papua New Guinea) *Western Province (Solomon Islands) *Western Province, Sri Lanka *Western Provin ...

^# (1856) * Western Port Province (2002) The following provinces also existed but were abolished prior to 2002: *

Bendigo Province Bendigo Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council The Victorian Legislative Council (VLC) is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria, Australia, the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both hou ...

(1904–1985) * Boronia Province (1967–1992) * Central Province^# (1856–1882) * Eastern Province^# (1856–1882) *

Melbourne East Province Melbourne East Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council. It was created in June 1904 when Melbourne Province was reduced in size (four members down to two), North Yarra Province and South Yarra Province were abolished. ...

(1904–1937) *

Melbourne South Province Melbourne South Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council. It was created in June 1904 when Melbourne Province was reduced in size (four members down to two) and North Yarra Province and South Yarra Province were abolish ...

(1904–1937) * Nelson Province (1882–1937) * North Central Province (1882–1904) * North Yarra Province (1882–1904) * Northern Province (1882–1976) *

Nunawading Province Nunawading Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council. It was created in 1976, based in the outer eastern Melbourne suburbs including Nunawading. It was finally abolished 29 March 1996. Much of its area was replaced by Ko ...

(1976–1992) *

Public and Railway Officers Province The Public and Railway Officers Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council. Members of Public and Railway Officers See also * Parliaments of the Australian states and territories * List of members of the Victorian Legisl ...

(1904–1907) * South Western Province^# (1856–1976) *

South Yarra Province South Yarra Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council from November 1882 until May 1904. South Yarra Province was created in the redistribution of provinces in 1882 when the Central and Eastern Provinces were abolished. ...

(1882–1904) * Southern Province^# (1856–1967) * Thomastown Province (1976–1985) *

Wellington Province Wellington Province, governed by the Wellington Provincial Council, was one of the provinces of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. It covered much of the southern half of the North Island until November 18 ...

(1882–1937) ^# = Original Province of inaugural (upper-house chamber) Legislative Council 1856 The old system tended to favour the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

and the National Party (often in coalition) over the Labor Party and other parties . This caused many instances where a Labor-controlled Assembly faced an opposition-controlled Council — a rare occurrence elsewhere in Australia.

Electoral districts 1851 to 1856

The Victorian Legislative Council was initially a single chamber (

unicameral Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature, which consists of one house or assembly, that legislates and votes as one. Unicameral legislatures exist when there is no widely perceived need for multi ...

) when first created and consisted of members some of whom were nominated and some elected. The electoral districts were: * Avoca * Ballaarat * Belfast and Warrnambool * Castlemaine * Geelong * Gipps' Land *

Grant Grant or Grants may refer to: Places *Grant County (disambiguation) Australia * Grant, Queensland, a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia United Kingdom * Castle Grant United States * Grant, Alabama * Grant, Inyo County, ...

* Kilmore, Kyneton and Seymour * Loddon * City of Melbourne *

Murray Murray may refer to: Businesses * Murray (bicycle company), an American manufacturer of low-cost bicycles * Murrays, an Australian bus company * Murray International Trust, a Scottish investment trust * D. & W. Murray Limited, an Australian who ...

* Normanby, Dundas and Follett * North Bourke *

Ovens upA double oven A ceramic oven An oven is a tool which is used to expose materials to a hot environment. Ovens contain a hollow chamber and provide a means of heating the chamber in a controlled way. In use since antiquity, they have been us ...

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

* Ripon, Hampden, Grenville and Polwarth * Sandhurst * South Bourke, Evelyn and Mornington * Talbot, Dalhousie and Angelsey * Villiers and Heytesbury *

Wimmera The Wimmera is a region of the Australian state of Victoria. The district is located within parts of the Loddon Mallee and the Grampians regions; and covers the dryland farming area south of the range of Mallee scrub, east of the South Aust ...

References

* {{Australian state electoral region