Meet the MPs who don't live in their electorate

Words: Alice Workman Producer: Louise Starkey

Can you call yourself a local member if you don't live locally? At least 16 members of parliament – including two cabinet ministers and two members of the shadow cabinet – do not reside in the electorate they represent. Here are a few.

Mike Freelander lives the furthest away from his electorate. The 69-year-old’s primary residence is in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Newtown, 30km from his southwest seat of Macarthur. Mike Freelander Member for Macarthur | Labor

Member for Monash, Russell Broadbent, lives in Pakenham, 24km away in the marginal Liberal seat of La Trobe. It was originally in the electorate he holds on a margin of 6.9 per cent but is now a 37-minute drive from his Warragul office in eastern Victoria. Russell Broadbent Member for Monash | Liberal

La Trobe is represented by Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs Jason Wood. He lives 11km next door in Casey, the seat of outgoing Liberal Tony Smith, in the tourist town of Mount Dandenong. Jason Wood Member for La Trobe | Liberal

One seat over is Alan Tudge, the pseudo-sidelined Employment Minister, in Aston. The Australian understands he lived in his outer-eastern suburban Melbourne seat until it was redistributed. Alan Tudge Member for Aston | Liberal

Member for Corangamite Libby Coker lives between two houses, both outside her seat. Coker's primary house is 11km south in Airley's Inlet. Her second residence is 5km north in Newtown, an inner western suburb of Geelong, Victoria. Libby Coker Member for Corangamite | Labor

David Coleman is the local Liberal member in Banks, and serves as the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. He lives 9km across the Georges River in Cronulla, the safe Liberal seat held by Prime Minister Scott Morrison. David Coleman Member for Banks | Liberal

Jason Clare, the Labor frontbencher for Blaxland, lives 20 minutes outside his low socio-economic southwest Sydney seat in Padstow Heights, where the median house price is $1.3m. Jason Clare Member for Blaxland | Labor

Maria Vamvakinou resides in inner Northcote, more than 10km from her battler seat of Calwell. She lives in Cooper, the electorate of fellow Labor MP Ged Kearney. Maria Vamvakinou Member for Calwell | Labor

ACT Labor frontbencher Andrew Leigh lives in Hackett, a 30-minute drive from his Gunghalin office in Fenner. The suburb was in the middle of his seat until it was redistributed in 2018 when the seat of Bean was created. Andrew Leigh Member for Fenner | Labor

Swipe up to see the other MPS living outside the electorates they represent. Learn more