Division of Hunter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids HunterAustralian House of Representatives Division |
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Division of Hunter (green) within New South Wales
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| Created | 1901 |
| MP | Joel Fitzgibbon |
| Party | Labor |
| Namesake | John Hunter |
| Area | 20,111 km2 (7,764.9 sq mi) |
| Demographic | Rural |
The Division of Hunter is an area in the Australian state of New South Wales. People living in this area vote for someone to represent them in the Australian Parliament.
This division is located in the northern part of rural New South Wales. It covers a large part of the Hunter Valley region. Some of the towns in this area include Singleton, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Cessnock and Denman.
The Division of Hunter was one of the first 75 divisions ever created for the very first Australian federal election in 1901. It was named after Captain John Hunter. He was the second Governor of New South Wales.
In 2015, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) announced a change. Due to shifts in population, New South Wales would lose one of its divisions. This meant the original Division of Hunter would be combined with nearby areas. However, the AEC has a rule to keep the names of the original 1901 divisions. So, another division nearby, called the Division of Charlton, was renamed Hunter. This way, the important historical name lives on.
People Who Represented Hunter
The Division of Hunter has been represented by members of the Labor Party since 1910.
Some very famous people have represented this area in Parliament. One was Edmund Barton, who became the first Prime Minister of Australia. Other important members include Matthew Charlton and Dr H.V. Evatt, who were both Leaders of the Opposition.
Currently, the member for Hunter is Joel Fitzgibbon. He took over the seat in 1996 when his father, Eric Fitzgibbon, retired from politics.
Images for kids
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John Hunter, who the division is named after
