Northern Territory federal electorate seats have 65 plus appeal

The highest growth rate in the 65 and over age group in Australia is not in the sunny coastal hotspots of Queensland but in the Northern Territory electoral divisions of Solomon and Lingiari.

Analysis by the federal parliamentary library has shown that the demographic aged 65 and over has increased by 2.7% nationally, nearly double the growth rate of the total population. Measured by electorates Solomon had a rate three times the national average (8.9%) and Lingiari had a rate increase of 7.7%.

The only two electorates to post a decline in the age group were Lilley, in suburban Brisbane, held by Treasurer Wayne Swan, and Wills, in northern Melbourne, now held by Labor’s Kelvin Thomson, and previously occupied by Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

By contrast, the biggest increases in the up to four years age group were in Brand, in Western Australia, the Sydney seat of cabinet minister Tanya Plibersek, and in Federal Opposition leader’s Malcolm Turnbull’s seat of Wentworth.

In the 5 to 14 schoolchildren age group the biggest growth rates were all in Fadden, Pearce, and Oxley.