Division of Newcastle

The Division of Newcastle is an Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales.

Newcastle
Australian House of Representatives Division
Division of Newcastle in New South Wales, as of the 2016 federal election.
Created1901
MPSharon Claydon
PartyLabor
NamesakeNewcastle
Electors117,746 (2019)
Area171 km2 (66.0 sq mi)
DemographicProvincial

History

The city of Newcastle, the division's namesake

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
  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
  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

2019 Australian federal election: Newcastle[1]
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 B. J. 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

  1. Newcastle, NSW, Tally Room 2019, Australian Electoral Commission.

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