Division of Paterson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids PatersonAustralian House of Representatives Division |
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Division of Paterson (green) within New South Wales
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| Dates current | 1949–1984, 1992–present |
| MP | Bob Baldwin |
| Party | Liberal |
| Namesake | Banjo Paterson |
| Electors | 97,107 (2013) |
| Area | 6,652 km2 (2,568.4 sq mi) |
| Demographic | Rural |
The Division of Paterson is an important area in New South Wales, Australia. It is an electoral division, which means it's a specific geographic area that votes for one person to represent them in the Australian Parliament. This area is located just north of Newcastle, right on the coast of the Tasman Sea.
The Division of Paterson includes many towns and communities. Some of these are Anna Bay, Bulahdelah, Clarence Town, Dungog, Forster, Hawks Nest, Lemon Tree Passage, Medowie, Morpeth, Nelson Bay, Paterson, Raymond Terrace, Stroud, and Tuncurry. It also covers parts of Nabiac, Thornton, and East Maitland.
This division was first created in 1949. However, it was later stopped in 1984. It was then brought back in 1992 after some changes to how the voting areas were drawn.
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Why is it Called Paterson?
The Division of Paterson is named after a very famous Australian. This person is poet and author Banjo Paterson. He wrote many well-known Australian poems, like "Waltzing Matilda" and "The Man from Snowy River."
It is also possible that the division was partly named after Colonel William Paterson. He was an explorer who also gave his name to the Paterson River and the town of Paterson. Both of these places are located within the electoral division.
How the Electorate Changed Over Time
When the Division of Paterson was first created in 1949, it included towns like Singleton, Maitland, and Muswellbrook. Over the years, the boundaries of the electorate changed. These changes are called "redistributions."
Redistributions moved the electorate's boundaries further north. At one point, it even included towns like Gunnedah and Mudgee. The original electorate was officially stopped in 1984. But in 1992, a new Division of Paterson was created. This new area was very similar to the original one.
People Who Represent Paterson
The people who represent the Division of Paterson in the Australian Parliament are called Members of Parliament (MPs). They are elected by the people living in the division. Here are the people who have been the MP for Paterson:
| (1949–1984) | |||
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| Member | Party | Term | |
| Allen Fairhall | Liberal | 1949–1969 | |
| Frank O'Keefe | Country | 1969–1975 | |
| National Country | 1975–1982 | ||
| National | 1982–1984 | ||
| (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 | |
Images for kids
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Division of Paterson (green) within New South Wales, prior to the 2015 redistribution
