The Division was created in 1949 and is named after Caroline Chisholm, a social worker and promoter of women's immigration.

The first member for Chisholm, Sir Wilfrid Kent Hughes, was one of Australia's most distinguished soldiers and a former Olympian, who held the seat until his death on 31 July 1970.

Labor finally took the seat in the 1983 landslide that brought Bob Hawke to power, only to lose it in 1987.

Banks announced she would sit on the crossbench as an independent, but guarantee confidence and supply to the Morrison government.

[5] Gladys Liu won Chisholm in the 2019 election for the Liberal Party against Jennifer Yang by less than 0.6%, becoming the first Chinese Australian to enter the lower house.