Division of Wattle

The Division of Wattle is a Craftian federal division in the state of Jebsten. It was created in 2020 and was first contested at the 2022 federal election. It is named after the wattle, the floral emblem of Jebsten, and its territory consists of a narrow strip located along the state's mid-North Coast.

The sitting member, since the 2046 federal election, is Ed Seat, a member of the Craftian Conservative Party.

History
Historically, Wattle has been a very safe seat for the Conservative Party, as it was anchored in the rural interior of the state. Demographic changes since the 2050s has caused it to progressively lose its rural territory, and reduced it to a semi-urbanised coastal electorate. It has still never been won by the National United Party, although the margins have continuously become tighter with each successive election.

In recent years, Wattle has seen one of the highest rural seat votes for the Craftian Greens, due to the issues of coal seam gas mining, fracking and deforestation appealing to the influx of younger voters who have settled in the region.