The Altona seat was created in an electoral redistribution for the
1992 election, and has been a safe seat for the Labor Party throughout its history. It was won in 1992 by
Carole Marple, who was associated with the party's Pledge Left faction, a hard-left splinter from the
Socialist Left. In 1993, a broad "peace deal" was struck between the Socialist Left and the right-wing
Labor Unity faction, which saw both factions agree to deliver the Altona preselection for the
1996 election to Socialist Left candidate
Lynne Kosky instead of Marple. As a result, Kosky defeated Marple for Labor preselection, and succeeded her as member for Altona at the 1996 election, while Marple instead contested and lost the marginal Legislative Council seat of
Geelong Province. Kosky served as a minister throughout the 1999–2010 Labor government under
Steve Bracks and
John Brumby, holding the positions of Minister for Post Compulsory Education, Training and Employment (1999–2002), Minister for Finance (2000–2002), Minister for Education and Training (2002–2006), Minister for Public Transport (2006–2010) and Minister for the Arts (2006–2010). Kosky resigned mid-term on 18 January 2010, citing significant health problems in her family. This necessitated a
February by-election, which was won by former Labor state president
Jill Hennessy. Hennessy was re-elected at the
2010 election and
2014 election. Following the Labor victory at the 2014 election, she was appointed Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services in the
Andrews Ministry. The seat was abolished ahead of the 2022 election and replaced by the electoral district of
Point Cook. ==Members for Altona==