Division of Newcastle
Newcastle Australian House of Representatives Division | |
---|---|
![]() Division of Newcastle in New South Wales, as of the 2016 federal election. | |
Created | 1901 |
MP | Sharon Claydon |
Party | Labor |
Namesake | Newcastle |
Electors | 117,746 (2019) |
Area | 171 km2 (66.0 sq mi) |
Demographic | Provincial |
The Division of Newcastle is an Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales.
History[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Newcastle_view.jpg/220px-Newcastle_view.jpg)
The division was proclaimed in 1900, and was one of the original 65 divisions to be contested at the first federal election. The division was named after the city of Newcastle, around which the division is centred.
It has been held by the Australian Labor Party for its entire existence. Historically, it has been one of that party's safest non-metropolitan seats; the Hunter Region is one of the few country regions where Labor consistently does well. Labor has never tallied less than 58 percent of the Two-party-preferred vote in a general election, and has only come close to losing it once, when it tallied 53 percent in a 1935 by-election. It is the only original division to be held by just one party since the first federal election.
The Division of Newcastle has had just six members since 1901, the fewest of any of the original divisions. From 1901 to 1958, the seat was held by the Watkins family. The seat's first member, David Watkins, held the seat until his death in 1935. The ensuing by-election was won by his son, David Oliver. Allan Morris' brother Peter Morris was also a Member of the House, holding the Division of Shortland, which lies immediately to the south. Charles Jones' brother Sam was the member for Waratah in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for much of the time that he was the member. The electoral district of Waratah lay within the boundaries of the Division of Newcastle.
The seat's most prominent members were David Watkins, the second-longest serving member of the First Parliament, and Charles Jones, a minister in the Whitlam Government. The current Member, since the 2013 federal election, is Sharon Claydon.
Members[]
Image | Member | Party | Term | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
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David Watkins (1865–1935) |
Labor | 29 March 1901 – 8 April 1935 |
Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Wallsend. Served as Chief Government Whip in the House under Fisher. Died in office. Son was David Oliver Watkins | |
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David Oliver Watkins (1896–1971) |
Labor | 1 June 1935 – 14 October 1958 |
Retired. Father was David Watkins | |
![]() |
Charles Jones (1917–2003) |
Labor | 22 November 1958 – 4 February 1983 |
Served as minister under Whitlam. Retired | |
![]() |
Allan Morris (1940–) |
Labor | 5 March 1983 – 8 October 2001 |
Retired | |
![]() |
Sharon Grierson (1951–) |
Labor | 10 November 2001 – 5 August 2013 |
Retired | |
![]() |
Sharon Claydon (1964–) |
Labor | 7 September 2013 – present |
Incumbent |
Election results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labor | Sharon Claydon | 47,137 | 45.73 | −1.39 | |
Liberal | Katrina Wark | 30,107 | 29.21 | −0.71 | |
Greens | John Mackenzie | 16,038 | 15.56 | +1.90 | |
United Australia | Geoffrey Scully | 3,471 | 3.37 | +3.37 | |
Animal Justice | Darren Brollo | 3,300 | 3.20 | +3.20 | |
Christian Democrats | Pam Wise | 1,928 | 1.87 | −0.28 | |
Great Australian | Barry Futter | 1,086 | 1.05 | +1.05 | |
Total formal votes | 103,067 | 94.49 | −0.77 | ||
Informal votes | 6,014 | 5.51 | +0.77 | ||
Turnout | 109,081 | 92.72 | +0.80 | ||
Two-party-preferred result | |||||
Labor | Sharon Claydon | 65,784 | 63.83 | −0.01 | |
Liberal | Katrina Wark | 37,283 | 36.17 | +0.01 | |
Labor hold | Swing | −0.01 |
References[]
- ^ Newcastle, NSW, Tally Room 2019, Australian Electoral Commission.
External links[]
- Electoral divisions of Australia
- Constituencies established in 1901
- 1901 establishments in Australia
- Port Stephens Council