Division of Cowper

Coordinates: 30°23′02″S 152°52′12″E / 30.384°S 152.870°E / -30.384; 152.870
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Cowper
Australian House of Representatives Division
Division of Cowper in New South Wales, as of the 2016 federal election
Created1901
MPPat Conaghan
PartyNationals
NamesakeSir Charles Cowper
Electors129,887 (2022)
Area7,296 km2 (2,817.0 sq mi)
DemographicRural and provincial
Electorates around Cowper:
New England Page Pacific Ocean
New England Cowper Pacific Ocean
New England Lyne Pacific Ocean

The Division of Cowper 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]

Sir Charles Cowper, the division's namesake

The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 65 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named after Sir Charles Cowper, an early Premier of New South Wales.[2]

Except for one brief break, the seat has been held by the National Party (previously known as the Country Party) and its predecessors since 1919.[2] Its most prominent member has been Sir Earle Page, former leader of the Country Party and interim Prime Minister of Australia in 1939. He represented Cowper from 1919 to 1961, longer than any other MP who represented one seat for his entire career. It has usually been a fairly safe National Party seat, and became more so when its more urbanised area (including Page's hometown of Grafton) was shifted to the newly created Division of Page in 1984.

The division is located on the north coast of New South Wales, and on its current boundaries takes in the towns of Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Macksville and Nambucca Heads.

In February 2016, New South Wales federal electoral districts were redistributed. The northern parts of Cowper, from Sapphire Beach to Red Rock were shifted to the division of Page. Since the 2019 election, the member for Cowper has been Pat Conaghan, representing the National Party of Australia.

Members[edit]

Image Member Party Term Notes
  Francis Clarke
(1857–1939)
Protectionist 30 March 1901
16 December 1903
Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Hastings and Macleay. Served as Chief Government Whip in the House under Deakin. Lost seat
  Henry Lee
(1856–1927)
Free Trade 16 December 1903
1906
Lost seat
  Anti-Socialist 1906 –
12 December 1906
  John Thomson
(1862–1934)
Protectionist 12 December 1906
26 May 1909
Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Manning. Served as Chief Government Whip in the House under Hughes. Lost seat
  Commonwealth Liberal 26 May 1909 –
17 February 1917
  Nationalist 17 February 1917 –
13 December 1919
  (Sir) Earle Page
(1880–1961)
Farmers and Settlers' Association 13 December 1919
22 January 1920
Served as minister under Bruce, Lyons, Menzies and Fadden. Served as Prime Minister in 1939. Lost seat
  Country 22 January 1920 –
9 December 1961
  Frank McGuren
(1909–1990)
Labor 9 December 1961
30 November 1963
Lost seat
  Ian Robinson
(1925–2017)
Country 30 November 1963
2 May 1975
Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Casino. Transferred to the Division of Page
  National Country 2 May 1975 –
16 October 1982
  Nationals 16 October 1982 –
1 December 1984
  Garry Nehl
(1934–2023)
Nationals 1 December 1984
8 October 2001
Retired
  Luke Hartsuyker
(1959–)
Nationals 10 November 2001
11 April 2019
Served as minister under Turnbull. Retired
  Pat Conaghan
(1971–)
Nationals 18 May 2019
present
Incumbent

Election results[edit]

2022 Australian federal election: Cowper[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Pat Conaghan 43,909 39.47 −7.60
Independent Caz Heise 29,206 26.26 +26.26
Labor Keith McMullen 15,566 13.99 +0.20
One Nation Faye Aspiotis 9,047 8.13 +8.13
Greens Timothy Nott 6,518 5.86 −0.08
Liberal Democrats Simon Chaseling 4,316 3.88 +3.88
United Australia Joshua Fairhall 2,674 2.40 −0.62
Total formal votes 111,236 95.07 +2.85
Informal votes 5,770 4.93 −2.85
Turnout 117,006 90.22 −1.81
Notional two-party-preferred count
National Pat Conaghan 66,153 59.47 −2.41
Labor Keith McMullen 45,083 40.53 +2.41
Two-candidate-preferred result
National Pat Conaghan 58,204 52.32 −4.47
Independent Caz Heise 53,032 47.68 +47.68
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. ^ a b Profile of the Electoral Division of Cowper, Australian Electoral Commission, retrieved 9 May 2012
  3. ^ Cowper, NSW, 2022 Tally Room, Australian Electoral Commission.

Notes[edit]


30°23′02″S 152°52′12″E / 30.384°S 152.870°E / -30.384; 152.870