Division of Calare

Coordinates: 33°18′22″S 148°55′19″E / 33.306°S 148.922°E / -33.306; 148.922
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Calare
Australian House of Representatives Division
Division of Calare in New South Wales, as of the 2016 federal election
Created1906
MPAndrew Gee
PartyIndependent
NamesakeWiradjuri name for the Lachlan River
Electors121,564 (2022)
Area32,666 km2 (12,612.4 sq mi)
DemographicRural and provincial

The Division of Calare (/kəˈlɑːri, kəˈlɛər/) is an Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales.

Geography[edit]

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.[1]

History[edit]

The Lachlan River, the Aboriginal name of which is the division's namesake

The division was first contested at the 1906 election; created to replace the abolished Division of Canobolas, and is named for the local Aboriginal name for the Lachlan River, which runs through the western part of the division. The Aboriginal name is pronounced Kal-ah-ree, but the pronunciation Kul-air is established for the division.

The division originally encompassed Forbes, Orange and Parkes. Subsequent boundary changes moved it eastwards to encompass Bathurst, Lithgow and Oberon. On these boundaries it was notionally a marginal seat between the Australian Labor Party (which held it 1983–96) and the National Party, but it was held comfortably by an independent, Peter Andren, from 1996 to 2007. Andren was not a candidate for the 2007 election: he intended to run for a Senate seat but was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and died during the election campaign.[2]

A redistribution in 2006 moved the boundaries west to take in Cowra, Grenfell and the vast north-west of New South Wales from Brewarrina to Menindee, making Calare New South Wales's largest electorate. Lithgow, Bathurst and Oberon, which tend to favour Labor, were transferred to the neighbouring seat of Macquarie. At the 2007 federal election, Calare was won by the Nationals' representative John Cobb on a margin of 12.1 percent.[3] Cobb had previously represented the Division of Parkes, parts of which were redistributed into Calare in 2006.

The 2009 redistribution of NSW moved the boundaries back east, to again include Lithgow, Bathurst and Oberon. Most of the northwestern area of the division was transferred to the neighbouring Division of Parkes.[4] The changes took effect at the 2010 election.

The division currently stretches from Mudgee, Gulgong, Dubbo, Wellington in the north-west, to Orange, Bathurst, Lithgow and Oberon in the south-east and Canowindra in the south-west.

The current Member for Calare, since the 2016 federal election, is Andrew Gee, an Independent member who was originally elected as a member of the National Party.

Members[edit]

Image Member Party Term Notes
  Thomas Brown
(1861–1934)
Labor 12 December 1906
31 May 1913
Previously held the Division of Canobolas. Lost seat. Later elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Lachlan in 1913
  Henry Pigott
(1866–1949)
Commonwealth Liberal 31 May 1913
17 February 1917
Lost seat
  Nationalist 17 February 1917 –
13 December 1919
  Thomas Lavelle
(1887–1944)
Labor 13 December 1919
16 December 1922
Lost seat
  Sir Neville Howse
(1863–1930)
Nationalist 16 December 1922
12 October 1929
Served as minister under Bruce. Lost seat. Son was John Howse
  George Gibbons
(1887–1954)
Labor 12 October 1929
19 December 1931
Lost seat
  Harold Thorby
(1888–1973)
Country 19 December 1931
21 September 1940
Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Castlereagh. Served as minister under Lyons, Page and Menzies. Lost seat
  John Breen
(1898–1966)
Labor 21 September 1940
28 September 1946
Lost seat
  John Howse
(1913–2002)
Liberal 28 September 1946
28 September 1960
Resigned to retire from politics. Father was Sir Neville Howse
  John England
(1911–1985)
Country 5 November 1960
2 May 1975
Retired
  National Country 2 May 1975 –
11 November 1975
  Sandy Mackenzie
(1941–)
National Country 13 December 1975
16 October 1982
Lost seat
  Nationals 16 October 1982 –
5 March 1983
  David Simmons
(1947–)
Labor 5 March 1983
29 January 1996
Served as minister under Hawke and Keating. Retired
  Peter Andren
(1946–2007)
Independent 2 March 1996
17 October 2007
Retired
  John Cobb
(1950–)
Nationals 24 November 2007
9 May 2016
Previously held the Division of Parkes. Retired
  Andrew Gee
(1968–)
Nationals 2 July 2016
23 December 2022
Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Orange. Served as minister under Morrison. Incumbent
  Independent 23 December 2022 –
present

Election results[edit]

2022 Australian federal election: Calare[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Andrew Gee 51,161 47.67 +2.96
Independent Kate Hook 21,891 20.40 +20.40
Labor Sarah Elliott 16,252 15.14 −6.99
One Nation Stacey Whittaker 9,057 8.44 +8.44
Greens Kay Nankervis 4,891 4.56 −1.50
United Australia Adam Jannis 4,067 3.79 +0.56
Total formal votes 107,319 96.01 +1.67
Informal votes 4,455 3.99 −1.67
Turnout 111,774 92.06 −1.54
Notional two-party-preferred count
National Andrew Gee 70,245 65.45 +2.16
Labor Sarah Elliott 37,074 34.55 −2.16
Two-candidate-preferred result
National Andrew Gee 64,047 59.68 −3.61
Independent Kate Hook 43,272 40.32 +40.32
National hold  

References[edit]

  1. ^ Muller, Damon (14 November 2017). "The process of federal redistributions: a quick guide". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Andren dies after four-month illness". ABC News. Australia. 2 November 2007.
  3. ^ "Calare, NSW". Election 2007. Australian Electoral Commission. 2007.
  4. ^ http://aec.gov.au/Electorates/Redistributions/2009/nsw/announcement-maps/Calare-Parkes.jpg[bare URL image file]
  5. ^ Calare, NSW, 2022 Tally Room, Australian Electoral Commission.

External links[edit]

33°18′22″S 148°55′19″E / 33.306°S 148.922°E / -33.306; 148.922