Denison is the most densely-populated and geographically smallest electorate, covering most of the Hobart urban area.

Denison is the only electorate to have elected as a Greens MP since the party was first formed. The seventh seat was won by the Democrats’ Norm Sanders in 1980 and again in 1982, and when he resigned he was replaced by Bob Brown. He was succeeded by another Greens leader, Peg Putt, and then by Cassy O’Connor, now a minister in the government.

Along with a single Greens seat, Denison elected three Labor MPs and three Liberal MPs from 1986 until 1998, when the reduction in seats saw Labor and Liberal each lose a seat.

The 2002 election was the first election since 1982 where one of the major parties managed to win a majority in Denison, with the ALP winning a 3-1-1 split. This was maintained in 2006, and the balance was restored in 2010 when the ALP lost a seat to the Liberal Party.

As one of the Greens’ strongest seats, and a relatively strong electorate for Labor, the Liberal Party will find it harder to gain a seat in Denison.

Denison is represented by sons of former premiers Scott Bacon (ALP) and Matthew Groom (LIB), along with Greens minister Cassy O’Connor, Liberal MP Elise Archer, and Labor MP Graeme Sturges.

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