▁is ▁named ▁for ▁Sir ▁Edmund ▁Bart on , ▁the ▁first ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Australia . ▁For ▁most ▁of ▁its ▁history , ▁Bart on ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁marg inal ▁seat . ▁Although ▁it ▁was ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Australian ▁Labor ▁Party ▁for ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁time ▁after ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁won ▁by ▁the ▁Liber als ▁( or ▁their ▁prede cess ors ) ▁at ▁" high - t ide " ▁elections . ▁ ▁Bart on ' s ▁most ▁prominent ▁member ▁has ▁been ▁Dr ▁H . ▁V . ▁Ev att , ▁who ▁was ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁Labor ▁Party ▁between ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁After ▁seeing ▁his ▁majority ▁more ▁than ▁hal ved ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁and ▁nearly ▁being ▁defeated ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁he ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁safe ▁seat ▁of ▁Hunter ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁A ▁former ▁minister ▁in ▁the ▁Haw ke ▁and ▁Ke ating ▁minist ries , ▁Gary ▁P unch , ▁held ▁the ▁seat ▁for ▁Labor ▁between ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁Robert ▁McC le ll and , ▁Att orney - General ▁in ▁the ▁Rud d ▁and ▁Gill ard ▁govern ments , ▁held ▁the ▁seat ▁for ▁Labor ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁Division ▁of ▁Bart on ▁is ▁linked ▁to ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁more ▁unusual ▁episodes ▁in ▁Australian ▁politics .