The Division of Leichhardt () is an Australian electoral division in the state of Queensland. Its MP has been Matt Smith of the Labor Party since 2025.
Leichhardt is located in Far North Queensland. It is a very mixed electorate, with its classification ranging from provincial in the south and rural and remote elsewhere. It includes the city of Cairns, as well as many towns such as Cooktown, Port Douglas and Weipa, and several Indigenous communities on the Cape York Peninsula and in the Torres Strait Islands.
Geography
Since 1984, federal electoral division boundaries in Australia have been determined at redistributions by a redistribution committee appointed by the Australian Electoral Commission. Redistributions occur for the boundaries of divisions in a particular state, and they occur every seven years, or sooner if a state's representation entitlement changes or when divisions of a state are malapportioned.
It is located in Far North Queensland and includes the Torres Strait Islands. It includes the local government areas of Cairns, Cook, Douglas, Torres and Wujal Wujal.
Demographics
As of the 2021 Australian census, Leichhardt had a total of 175,620 residents (including those who are not on the electoral roll). 50.4% of the population is female, and 49.6% is male.
Warren Entsch retired from federal politics upon the dissolution of the 47th Parliament on 28 March 2025 in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election. Former professional basketball player Matt Smith subsequently won the seat for Labor, defeating LNP candidate Jeremy Neal.
Members
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=2 | Image
! Member
! Party
! Term
! Notes
|-
|-
| |
| 100px
| Tom Gilmore<br />
| Country
| nowrap | 10 December 1949 –<br />28 April 1951
| Lost seat. Later elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Tablelands in 1957
|-
| |
| 100px
| Harry Bruce<br />
| rowspan="2" | Labor
| nowrap | 28 April 1951 –<br />11 October 1958
| Previously held the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of The Tableland. Died in office
|-
| |
| 100px
| Bill Fulton<br />
| nowrap | 22 November 1958 –<br />11 November 1975
| Retired
|-
| |
| rowspan=2 | 100px
| rowspan=2 | David Thomson<br />
| National Country
| nowrap | 13 December 1975 –<br />16 October 1982
| rowspan=2 | Served as minister under Fraser. Lost seat
|-
| |
| Nationals
| nowrap | 16 October 1982 –<br />5 March 1983
|-
| |
| 100px
| John Gayler<br />
| rowspan="2" | Labor
| nowrap | 5 March 1983 –<br />8 February 1993
| Retired
|-
| |
| 100px
| Peter Dodd<br />
| nowrap | 13 March 1993 –<br />2 March 1996
| Lost seat
|-
| |
| 100px
| Warren Entsch<br />
| Liberal
| nowrap | 2 March 1996 –<br />24 November 2007
| Retired
|-
| |
| 100px
| Jim Turnour<br />
| Labor
| nowrap | 24 November 2007 –<br />21 August 2010
| Lost seat
|-
| |
| 100px
| Warren Entsch<br />
| Liberal
| nowrap | 21 August 2010 –<br />28 March 2025
| Retired
|-
| |
| 100px
| Matt Smith<br />
| Labor
| nowrap | 3 May 2025 –<br />present
| Incumbent
|}
Election results
Notes
References
External links
- Division of Leichhardt (Qld) — Australian Electoral Commission