Early mornings in North Hobart are a quiet mix of routines. Hospital staff finishing shifts pass university students heading into the city. At a corner café, a second-generation migrant family prepares for the day’s rush. This is Clark—Tasmania’s most urban electorate—where a younger, more diverse population is slowly reshaping the expectations of political representation.
Clark, formerly Denison, has long been a bastion of independent thinking. Since 2010, it has been held by Andrew Wilkie, a former Army officer and intelligence analyst whose decision to blow the whistle on the Iraq War catapulted him into national consciousness. Wilkie has built a reputation in parliament as principled, sometimes stubbornly so, advocating for transparency, human rights, and social justice. In the 2022 federal election, he secured 45.5% of the primary vote and held the seat with a 20.8% margin.
But Clark is evolving. The seat, which includes central Hobart, Glenorchy, and parts of Kingborough, has seen significant demographic shifts. According to the latest Census data, the median age is 37, lower than the state average. A growing population of international students, particularly from India, is reshaping the cultural and economic character of the electorate. Many of these students are enrolled in healthcare or education-related courses, and a rising number stay on after graduation to work in Hobart’s hospitals and schools.
The 2025 election will likely see Wilkie retain his seat, but not without fresh challenges that signal broader political undercurrents.
Labor’s candidate, Heidi Heck, is contesting the seat for the first time. A university student and former staffer to state Labor leader Dean Winter, Heck represents a younger generation of political aspirants. While her candidacy is seen as an ambitious move by the Labor Party—given the seat’s strong independent leanings—Heck has emphasised her commitment to listening to the concerns of students, renters, and young workers. Her campaign has included outreach to local universities and multicultural communities, particularly targeting Hobart’s growing Indian population. Political observers view her challenge to Wilkie as an uphill battle, but one that signals Labor’s long-term interest in building visibility and engaging younger demographics in Clark.
The Liberal Party has preselected Marilena Di Florio, who is positioning herself as a strong local voice for the people of Clark. Di Florio’s campaign has focused on reconnecting with grassroots voters and advocating for practical solutions to everyday issues. She has emphasised support for local businesses, infrastructure upgrades, and crime prevention, while also appealing to residents concerned about housing affordability and public safety.
The Greens’ candidate, Janet Shelley, is aiming to energise the electorate’s environmentally conscious voters. With a background in urban planning, Shelley is running a campaign centred on climate resilience, sustainable development, and affordable housing. Her team is particularly active in areas near the Hobart CBD and South Hobart, where younger voters and students form a sizable base. The Greens polled around 13% last election, and while they are unlikely to win Clark outright, their preferences remain crucial in the final count.
Also in the race is One Nation’s Cathy Griggs, running on a more populist platform. But in progressive-leaning Clark, the party’s impact is expected to remain marginal.
Climate change, unsurprisingly, is another major issue. Extreme weather events and rising energy costs have prompted calls for more ambitious policies. Shelley’s Green campaign has tapped into this sentiment, while Wilkie continues to advocate for climate responsibility, often siding with the Greens on environmental legislation.
For the sizable Indian community—many of whom are relatively new residents—localised concerns often intersect with broader policy debates. Visa processing delays, employment rights, and access to rental housing are top of mind. Candidates like Heck have responded by attending multicultural festivals, hosting meet-and-greet sessions at educational institutions, and providing campaign materials in Hindi and Tamil. The Liberals, too, have launched outreach programs aimed at skilled migrants, though they face skepticism over federal policies seen as less welcoming to newcomers.
Wilkie’s approach remains characteristically independent. He holds no party allegiance, instead relying on his public service record and high local visibility. His office has been noted for its accessibility, particularly for constituents with complex issues like immigration or tenancy disputes. Despite this, Wilkie is not without criticism. Some younger voters view his focus on integrity and process as insufficient when urgent reforms on housing or education are needed.
Early voting patterns suggest a stable base for Wilkie, but both Labor and the Greens are betting on ground campaigns and social media engagement to sway undecided voters. TikTok videos, targeted Facebook ads, and university campus booths have all become part of the electoral toolkit. Wilkie, though less digitally flashy, has leaned on town hall meetings and constituent newsletters to maintain a personal connection.
The seat of Clark also encapsulates the influence of preferences in Australia’s electoral system. In 2022, Green and Socialist Alliance preferences were key to Wilkie’s comfortable victory. While both Labor and the Greens aim to expand their first-preference base, they’re also preparing for a future in which Wilkie may step down—with both parties seeing Clark as a potential prize in a post-Wilkie era.
Clark’s electoral story is part of a broader national pattern: a move away from party-line voting, increased emphasis on local representation, and the rising visibility of multicultural and younger voters. The Indian community’s growing political engagement—whether through enrolment drives, student associations, or advocacy on international student issues—reflects a changing Australia.
While Wilkie looks set to return to Canberra in 2025, the campaigns unfolding around him tell a story of transformation. Not in the sense of dramatic upheaval, but in the quiet recalibration of political language, community expectations, and demographic realities.
In North Hobart’s cafes, in Glenorchy’s public housing blocks, and along Sandy Bay’s leafy avenues, the electorate of Clark is negotiating its identity—progressive but pragmatic, independent yet increasingly diverse. In that negotiation lies the real contest of 2025.
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🏛️ #Clark (#Tasmania) remains @WilkieMP's stronghold but faces demographic shifts. 🌱 Young voters & growing Indian student population reshape priorities. 🏠 Housing, climate & multicultural outreach key issues in #Hobart-centric seat. #TheIndianSunhttps://t.co/MoIbrTVZwz
— The Indian Sun (@The_Indian_Sun) April 16, 2025
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