Electoral district of Wollongong

Wollongong New South Wales—Legislative Assembly
State	New South Wales
Dates current	1904–1920 1927–1930 1968–present
MP	Paul Scully
Party	Australian Labor Party
Namesake	Wollongong
Area	79.25 km^2 (30.6 sq mi)

Wollongong is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Paul Scully of the Australian Labor Party.^[1] Since a redistribution in 2013,^[2] it has covered an area of 79.25 square kilometres and includes the localities of Berkeley, Coachwood Park, Coniston, Cordeaux Heights, Corrimal, Cringila, Fairy Meadow, Farmborough Chase, Farmborough Heights, Figtree, Gwynneville, Kembla Grange, Kembla Heights, Kemblawarra, Lake Heights, Lindsay Heights, Mangerton, Mount Kembla, Mount Saint Thomas, North Wollongong, Port Kembla, Primbee, Spring Hill, Towradgi, Unanderra, Warrawong, West Wollongong, Windang, Wollongong.^[3]

In August 2016, Noreen Hay resigned from the NSW Legislative Assembly triggering a third by-election for the Electoral district of Wollongong. The other two NSW Legislative Assembly seats being the Electoral district of Canterbury and the Electoral district of Orange.^[4][5]

History

Wollongong was created in 1904,^[6] replacing parts of Woronora and Kiama. In 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into Wollondilly, along with Allowrie. In 1927, with the abolition of proportional representation, it was recreated, along with a new Illawarra electorate. In 1930, it was replaced by Bulli. In 1941, a new electorate of Wollongong-Kembla was created. This was split into Wollongong and Kembla in 1968.

Wollongong has rarely been won by the center-right wing Liberal party and in recent decades has become one of Labor's safest seats.

Members for Wollongong

First incarnation (1904—1920)
Member		Party	Term
	John Nicholson	Labour	1904–1916
		Nationalist	1916–1917
	Billy Davies	Labor	1917–1920
Second incarnation (1927—1930)
Member		Party	Term
	Billy Davies	Labor	1927–1930
Third incarnation (1968—present)
Member		Party	Term
	Jack Hough	Liberal	1968–1971
	Eric Ramsay	Labor	1971–1984
	Frank Arkell	Independent	1984–1991
	Gerry Sullivan	Labor	1991–1999
	Col Markham	Labor	1999–2003
	Noreen Hay	Labor	2003–2016
	Paul Scully	Labor	2016–present

Election results

Wollongong state by-election, 2016^[7][8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labor	Paul Scully	23,588	48.1	+7.7
	Independent	Gordon Bradbery	16,707	34.0	+34.0
	Greens	Cath Blakey	5,216	10.6	+1.1
	Shooters, Fishers and Farmers	Joe Rossi	1,793	3.7	+3.7
	Christian Democrats	Colleen Baxter	1,769	3.6	+0.7
Total formal votes			49,073	96.8	+0.9
Informal votes			1,605	3.2	−0.9
Turnout			50,678	93.6	+4.5
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Labor	Paul Scully	26,739	58.0	−0.9
	Independent	Gordon Bradbery	19,336	42.0	+42.0
	Labor hold		Swing	N/A

New South Wales state election, 2015: Wollongong^[9][10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labor	Noreen Hay	20,071	40.4	+3.6
	Liberal	Cameron Walters	10,465	21.0	−0.1
	Independent	Arthur Rorris	10,162	20.4	+20.4
	Greens	Mitchell Bresser	4,747	9.5	−0.2
	No Land Tax	Noreen Colonelli	2,197	4.4	+4.4
	Christian Democrats	Clarrie Pratt	1,463	2.9	+0.4
	Cyclists	Phil Latz	613	1.2	+1.2
Total formal votes			49,718	95.9	+0.2
Informal votes			2,123	4.1	−0.2
Turnout			51,841	89.1	−1.9
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Noreen Hay	24,326	63.4	+4.2
	Liberal	Cameron Walters	14,019	36.6	−4.2
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Labor	Noreen Hay	22,293	58.9	+4.3
	Independent	Arthur Rorris	15,556	41.1	+41.1
	Labor hold		Swing	+4.3

References

1. Pearson, Andrew (12 November 2016). "Labor's Paul Scully claims Wollongong byelection win". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
2. "2013 Redistribution process". 2013 NSW Electoral Boundaries Redistribution. New South Wales Electoral Commission. 23 January 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
3. "Wollongong". NSW Electoral Commission. New South Wales Electoral Commission. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
6. "New Electorate Boundaries". Illawarra Mercury. 27 April 1904. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
7. First Preference Votes Report Parliamentary Election: Wollongong, Electoral Commission New South Wales.
8. Election Night TCP Results, Electoral Commission New South Wales.
9. State Electoral District of Wollongong: First Preference Votes, NSWEC.
10. State Electoral District of Wollongong: Distribution of Preferences, NSWEC.

External links

• "Wollongong". New South Wales Electoral Commission. Retrieved 6 February 2015.