▁The ▁first ▁member ▁for ▁Bart on , ▁Labor ' s ▁Frederick ▁Mc Donald , ▁disappeared ▁after ▁his ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁defeat ▁by ▁National ist ▁Thomas ▁Ley , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁now ▁believed ▁that ▁Ley ▁had ▁him ▁murder ed . ▁After ▁being ▁found ▁guilty ▁of ▁an ▁un related ▁murder ▁in ▁England ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁Ley ▁was ▁declared ▁ins ane ▁and ▁died ▁in ▁Broad mo or ▁As yl um ▁four ▁months ▁later . ▁ ▁Nick olas ▁Var var is ▁won ▁the ▁seat ▁for ▁the ▁Liber als ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁federal ▁election , ▁ach ieving ▁a ▁swing ▁of ▁ 7 . 2 ▁percent ▁to ▁finish ▁with ▁a ▁two - party - pre ferred ▁vote ▁of ▁just ▁ 5 0 . 3 ▁percent , ▁which ▁made ▁Bart on ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁government ' s ▁most ▁marg inal ▁seat . ▁ ▁A ▁red ist ribution ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁federal ▁election ▁er ased ▁Var var is ' ▁majority ▁and ▁gave ▁Labor ▁a ▁not ional ▁vote ▁of ▁ 5 4 . 4 ▁percent . ▁It ▁was ▁only ▁after ▁some ▁sust ained ▁pressure ▁that ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Var var is ▁eventually ▁declared ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁stand ▁again . ▁Form er ▁state ▁deput y ▁opposition ▁leader ▁L inda ▁Bur ney ▁cont ested ▁the ▁seat ▁for ▁Labor ▁and ▁won ▁on ▁a ▁swing ▁of ▁ 3 . 9 ▁percent , ▁making ▁it ▁a ▁fairly ▁safe ▁Labor ▁seat . ▁ ▁B ound aries ▁The