More recently, the seat was held by Peter Costello, a prominent member of the Howard government as the longest serving Treasurer of Australia and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party.

Costello resigned from the seat on 19 October 2009, and was succeeded in the ensuing by-election by fellow Liberal Kelly O'Dwyer, who would go on to become a minister in the Abbott and Turnbull governments.

Liberal candidate Katie Allen, however, saw off a challenge from barrister Fiona McLeod, despite suffering a swing of six percent, making Higgins marginal against Labor for the first time ever.

High-profile Greens candidate and former Australian Rules footballer Jason Ball also contested the seat, receiving almost a quarter of the vote.

This occurred when Holt went missing while Prime Minister, and then-Senator Gorton used the ensuing by-election to transfer to the House.

[6] The division is named after Justice H. B. Higgins (1851–1929), who was a Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly (1894) and president of the Carlton Football Club (1904).