Electoral district of Camden explained

Camden
State:nsw
Lifespan:1859–1920, 1981–current
Mp:Sally Quinnell
Mp-Party:Labor
Namesake:Camden, New South Wales
Electors:70392
Electors Year:2019
Area:228
Class:Outer-metropolitan
Near-N:Badgerys Creek
Near-Ne:Leppington
Near-E:Campbelltown
Near-Se:Campbelltown
Near-S:Wollondilly
Near-Sw:Wollondilly
Near-W:Wollondilly
Near-Nw:Wollondilly

Camden is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's south-west. It is currently represented by Sally Quinnell of the party, who achieved a 13% swing in the 2023 election.

Geography

On its current boundaries, Camden takes in the suburbs of Bickley Vale, Camden, Camden Park, Camden South, Catherine Field, Cawdor, Cobbitty, Currans Hill, Elderslie, Ellis Lane, Gledswood Hills, Grasmere, Gregory Hills, Harrington Park, Kirkham, Mount Annan, Narellan, Narellan Vale, Smeaton Grange, and Spring Farm.[1]

History

Camden was originally created in 1859, replacing part of West Camden and named after the town of Camden or Camden County, which includes Camden, the Southern Highlands and the Illawarra. It elected two members from 1859 to 1889 and three members from 1889 to 1894, when multi-member electorates were abolished. It was abolished in 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation and absorbed into Cumberland. It was recreated in 1981.[2] In recent decades it has been a marginal seat, falling to both the and parties on separate occasions.Except in 1984-91 and 1995-2003, Camden in its second incarnation, has been held by the government party.

Camden was evident as a bellwether seat at the 1991 election when the ALP lost the seat to the Liberal Party despite the former party making huge gains at that election which was close but not enough for them to win the election. If the ALP had retained Camden in 1991, the party would have been in a strong position to form a minority government when it then won The Entrance by-election in 1992.

Members for Camden

First incarnation (1859–1889, 2 members)
MemberPartyTermMemberPartyTerm
 Henry OxleyNone1859–1860 William WildNone1859–1860
John MorriceNone1860–1872John DouglasNone1860–1861
David BellNone1861–1864
Richard RobertsNone1864–1869
Arthur OnslowNone1869–1880
Thomas GarrettNone1872–1887
John KiddNone1880–1882
William McCourtNone1882–1885
John KiddNone1885–1887
 1887–1889 William McCourt1887–1889
1889–1894, 3 members
Member Party Term Member Party Term Member Party Term
 Thomas Garrett1889–1891 William McCourt1889–1894 John Kidd1889–1894
 William Cullen1891–1894
1894–1920, 1 member
Member Party Term
 John Kidd1894–1895
 Charles Bull1895–1898
 John Kidd1898–1901
 1901–1904
 Fred Downes1904–1913
 John Hunt1913–1917
 1917–1920
 
Second incarnation (1981–present, 1 member)
Member Party Term
 Ralph Brading1981–1984
 John Fahey1984–1988
 Peter Primrose1988–1991
 Liz Kernohan1991–2003
 Geoff Corrigan2003–2011
 Chris Patterson2011–2019
 Peter Sidgreaves2019–2023
 Sally Quinnell2023–present

Election results

See main article: Electoral results for the district of Camden.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Camden . . 8 Aug 2024.
  2. Web site: Elections for the District of Camden 1859-2007 . 30 April 2019 . Green . Antony . Antony Green . New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007 . Parliament of New South Wales.