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.[2]
The division was proclaimed at the redistribution of 11 May 1949, and was first contested at the 1949 election. It was named after the Mallee region of Victoria, in which the division is located, which itself is named after the mallee variety of eucalyptus. Note that the division also includes the Wimmera region of Victoria, which is why the title of the sitting member's newsletter is Wimmera Mallee News.
Mallee has always been a safe Country/National seat. It was previously the safest Coalition seat in federal parliament and also previously the safest seat in the entire parliament in the 2010 election, with a 24-point swing required for Labor to have won it. In the 2013 and 2019 elections a Liberal Party candidate stood against the National Party, making it a contest between the Coalition parties.[3]
