Division of Newcastle

Geography

Since 1984, federal electoral division boundaries in Australia have been determined at redistributions by a redistribution committee appointed by the Australian Electoral Commission. Redistributions occur for the boundaries of divisions in a particular state, and they occur every seven years, or sooner if a state's representation entitlement changes or when divisions of a state are malapportioned.

History

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 seats outside of the capital cities; the Hunter Region is one of the few regions outside the capitals 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, when the top two candidates were representing Labor and Labor (NSW). 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.

Following the 2022 Australian federal election, the division was the safest Labor seat in the nation.

Members

Election results

Main article: Electoral results for the Division of Newcastle

References

References

1. (14 November 2017). "The process of federal redistributions: a quick guide".