Lalor is a safe Labor seat on the western fringe of Melbourne. The seat has been held in the past by a series of prominent Labor figures: former Chifley government minister Reg Pollard, Whitlam-era Deputy Prime Minister Jim Cairns and Hawke government minister Barry Jones.
The seat has been held by Julia Gillard since 1998. Gillard was recently elected Prime Minister after serving as Deputy Prime Minister since the 2007 election.
