Division of Paterson

This article is about the Australian federal electorate. For the Tasmanian state electorate, see Electoral division of Paterson.

Paterson Australian House of Representatives Division
Division of Paterson (green) within New South Wales
Created:	1993
MP:	Bob Baldwin
Party:	Liberal
Namesake:	Banjo Paterson
Area:	6,652 km² (2,568 sq mi)
Demographic:	Rural

The Division of Paterson is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located just north of Newcastle, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It extends to the Hunter Valley in the south, the Manning River in the north, and the Great Dividing Range in the west. It includes the towns of Forster, Nelson Bay, Raymond Terrace and Paterson.

Paterson was originally created in 1949 and abolished in 1984. It was recreated after a redistribution in 1992.

The current Division is named after federation-era poet and author Banjo Paterson.

History

Paterson was first created at the redistribution of 11 May 1949. It was named after federation-era poet and author Banjo Paterson although there is conjecture that it was originally named after Colonel William Paterson who also gave his name to the Paterson River and the town of Paterson, both of which were situated within the electorate. It was first contested at the 1949 election. At the time it included the towns of Singleton, Maitland and Muswellbrook. Redistributions eventually moved the electorate north until it included Gunnedah and Mudgee. The original electorate was abolished at the 11 October 1984 redistribution.

At the redistribution of 31 January 1992 the electorate was recreated, covering a similar area to the original electorate. It was first contested at the 1993 Federal election and was narrowly won by Bob Horne (Labor). After 1993 the seat was continuously exchanged between Horne and Bob Baldwin (Liberal); the seat changed hands in 1996, in 1998 and again in 2001. During this period both Bobs became so well known that name recognition in the Division was often in excess of 90% in private party polling.

Horne did not contest the seat at the 2004 election at which Baldwin comfortably defeated a new Labor candidate, former Port Stephens councillor Giovanna Kozary, to retain the seat for the first time. At the 2007 election, Baldwin narrowly defeated new Labor candidate Jim Arneman, a Health Services Union organiser. At the 2010 election, Baldwin again defeated Arneman, this time retaining the seat for the Liberal Party with an absolute majority of primary votes.

Paterson is currently regarded as a marginal Liberal seat.

Members

First incarnation (1949–1984)
Member		Party	Term
	Allen Fairhall	Liberal	1949–1969
	Frank O'Keefe	Country	1969–1975
		National Country	1975–1982
		National	1982–1984
Second incarnation (1993–present)
Member		Party	Term
	Bob Horne	Labor	1993–1996
	Bob Baldwin	Liberal	1996–1998
	Bob Horne	Labor	1998–2001
	Bob Baldwin	Liberal	2001–present

Election results

Main article: Electoral results for the Division of Paterson

Australian federal election, 2010: Paterson
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Bob Baldwin	42,262	51.30	+4.73
	Labor	Jim Arneman	31,522	38.26	-4.69
	Greens	Jan Davis	4,936	5.99	+0.72
	One Nation	Kevin Leayr	1,044	1.27	+0.32
	Christian Democrats	Anna Balfour	870	1.06	-0.15
	Independent	Josef Wiedenhorn	699	0.85	+0.85
	Family First	Veronica Lambert	674	0.82	+0.16
		Paul Hennelly	379	0.46	+0.46
Total formal votes			82,386	94.36	-2.04
Informal votes			4,924	5.64	+2.04
Turnout			87,310	94.75	-0.98
Two-candidate preferred result
	Liberal	Bob Baldwin	45,582	55.33	+4.75
	Labor	Jim Arneman	36,804	44.67	-4.75
	Liberal hold		Swing	+4.75

References

• Division of Paterson - Australian Electoral Commission