Division of Barton

Barton
Australian House of Representatives Division

Division of Barton (green) in New South Wales
Created 1922
MP Nickolas Varvaris
Party Liberal
Namesake Sir Edmund Barton
Electors 98,688 (2013)[1]
Area 44 km2 (17.0 sq mi)
Demographic Inner metropolitan

The Division of Barton is an Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales. The division was created in 1922 and is named for Sir Edmund Barton, the first Prime Minister of Australia.

The division has always been based in the inner southern suburbs of Sydney, and currently includes the suburbs of Arncliffe, Banksia, Bardwell Valley, Beverley Park, Bexley, Bexley North, Brighton-Le-Sands, Carss Park, Dolls Point, Kogarah, Kogarah Bay, Kyeemagh, Monterey, Ramsgate, Ramsgate Beach, Rockdale, Sandringham, Sans Souci, Turrella and Wolli Creek and parts of Beverly Hills, Carlton, Earlwood, Marrickville, and Kingsgrove.

The current Member for Barton, since the 2013 federal election, is Nickolas Varvaris, a member of the Liberal Party of Australia.[1]

History

For most of its history, Barton has been a marginal seat. It was held by the Australian Labor Party for most of the time after 1940, though it has been taken by the Liberals (or their predecessors) at high-tide elections.

Barton's most prominent member has been Dr H. V. Evatt, who was Leader of the Australian Labor Party between 1951 and 1960. Evatt nearly lost the seat in 1951 and 1955, and in 1958 he transferred to the safe seat of Hunter. A former minister in the Hawke and Keating ministries, Gary Punch, held the seat for Labor between 1983 and 1986. Robert McClelland, a former Attorney-General, held the seat for Labor between 1996 and 2013.

The Division of Barton is linked to one of the more unusual episodes in Australian politics. The first member for Barton, Labor's Frederick McDonald, disappeared after his 1925 defeat by Nationalist Thomas Ley, and it is now believed that Ley had him murdered.[2] Ley was later found to be insane and died in Broadmoor Asylum in Britain.

Members

MemberPartyTerm
  Frederick McDonald Labor 1922–1925
  Thomas Ley Nationalist 1925–1928
  James Tully Labor 1928–1931
  Albert Lane United Australia 1931–1940
  H. V. Evatt Labor 1940–1958
  Len Reynolds Labor 1958–1966
  William Arthur Liberal 1966–1969
  Len Reynolds Labor 1969–1975
  Jim Bradfield Liberal 1975–1983
  Gary Punch Labor 1983–1996
  Robert McClelland Labor 1996–2013
  Nickolas Varvaris Liberal 2013–present

Election results

Australian federal election, 2013: Barton[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Nickolas Varvaris 33,881 42.35 +1.68
Labor Steve McMahon 32,345 40.43 −8.05
Greens Jackie Brooker 4,788 5.98 −4.87
Palmer United Edward Caruana 3,114 3.89 +3.89
Independent Michael Nagi 3,071 3.84 +3.84
Christian Democrats Kylie French 1,549 1.94 +1.94
One Nation Perry Theo 686 0.86 +0.86
Katter's Australian Rodney Wyse 567 0.71 +0.71
Total formal votes 80,001 87.96 −2.22
Informal votes 10,948 12.04 +2.22
Turnout 90,949 92.16 +0.54
Two-party-preferred result
Liberal Nickolas Varvaris 40,245 50.31 +7.17
Labor Steve McMahon 39,756 49.69 −7.17
Liberal gain from Labor Swing +7.17

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Barton, NSW". Election 2013. Australian Electoral Commission. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  2. O'Neill, Margot; Evans, Brett (26 April 2004). "Lateline History Challenge: Minister for Murder" (transcript). Lateline (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 6 November 2013.

External links

Coordinates: 33°57′22″S 151°07′44″E / 33.956°S 151.129°E / -33.956; 151.129

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