Division of Gwydir
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The Division of Gwydir is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. As a result of the electoral redistribution of September 13, 2006, Gwydir was abolished and will cease to exist at the 2007 general election.
Gwydir is named for the Gwydir River (which in turn was named by the explorer Allan Cunningham after his patron Lord Gwydir, who took his title from Gwydir Castle in Wales). The Division is located in western New South Wales, and includes the towns of Bourke, Moree, Mudgee and Walgett.
The seat was a stronghold of the Australian Workers Union and was usually held by the Australian Labor Party until the 1940s, but since 1949 it has grown increasingly safe for the National Party of Australia. Its last Labor member, William Scully, was a Cabinet minister in the Ben Chifley government. The current member, John Anderson, was Leader of the National Party and Deputy Prime Minister in the Howard Government until he resigned the position.
In September 2006 the New South Wales redistribution commissioners decided to abolish the Division of Gwydir. The abolition will take effect at the 2007 general election, but any by-election that might occur before then would be held on Gwydir's existing boundaries. Most of the division will become part of the Division of Parkes, however, some towns in the Upper Hunter Shire (mainly Scone, Aberdeen, Merriwa and Murrurundi) will be absorbed into the Division of Hunter.
[edit] Members
| Member | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|
| George Cruickshank | Protectionist | 1901-03 |
| Hon William Webster | ALP, Nationalist | 1903-19 |
| Lou Cunningham | ALP | 1919-25 |
| Aubrey Abbott | Country Party | 1925-29 |
| Hon Lou Cunningham | ALP | 1929-31 |
| Hon Aubrey Abbott | Country Party | 1931-37 |
| Hon William Scully | ALP | 1937-49 |
| Thomas Treloar | Country Party | 1949-53 |
| Ian Allan | Country Party | 1953-69 |
| Hon Ralph Hunt | Country Party/National Party | 1969-89 |
| Hon John Anderson | National Party | 1989-2007 |
| Electoral Divisions of the Australian House of Representatives in New South Wales | |
|---|---|
|
Banks | Barton | Bennelong | Berowra | Blaxland | Bradfield | Calare | Charlton | Chifley | Cook | Cowper | Cunningham | Dobell | Eden-Monaro | Farrer | Fowler | Gilmore | Grayndler | Greenway | Gwydir | Hughes | Hume | Hunter | Kingsford Smith | Lindsay | Lowe | Lyne | Macarthur | Mackellar | Macquarie | Mitchell | New England | Newcastle | North Sydney | Page | Parkes | Parramatta | Paterson | Prospect | Reid | Richmond | Riverina | Robertson | Shortland | Sydney | Throsby | Warringah | Watson | Wentworth | Werriwa |
|
