Division of Darling Downs
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The Division of Darling Downs was an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was created at Federation in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It was abolished in 1984 when it was replaced by the Division of Groom. It was named for the Darling Downs region of Queensland, and consisted mainly of the city of Toowoomba and surrounding rural areas. It was always a safe seat for the non-Labor parties, being won at different times by the Liberal Party and its predecessors and the Country Party. Its prominent members included Sir Littleton Groom, Cabinet minister and Speaker, and Arthur Fadden, Prime Minister of Australia in 1941.
The electorate's first member, William Groom, died at the first Commonwealth Parliament meeting in Melbourne in 1901, and his death led to Australia's first by-election, which was won by his son, Littleton Groom, who went on to serve as Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives. The seat was always safely conservative, and Arthur Fadden briefly served as Prime Minister while holding the seat. The seat was abolished in 1984.
[edit] Members
| Member | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Hon William Groom | Protectionist | 1901 |
| Hon Sir Littleton Groom | Protectionist, Liberal, Nationalist, Independent | 1901-29 |
| Arthur Morgan | Nationalist, UAP | 1929-31 |
| Hon Sir Littleton Groom | Independent, UAP | 1931-36 |
| Rt Hon Arthur Fadden | Country | 1936-49 |
| Hon Sir Reginald Swartz | Liberal | 1949-72 |
| Hon Tom McVeigh | Country Party, National Party | 1972-84 |
