Cobar was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales which was named after the town of Cobar. It was first created in 1894 and abolished in 1920. Cobar was recreated in 1930 and abolished in 1968.[1][2][3]

History

Prior to 1894 the town of Cobar was part of the district of Bourke which returned three members. Multi-member constituencies were abolished in the 1893 redistribution, resulting in the creation of 76 new districts, including Cobar.[4] Bourke was reduced in size and parts were given to the new districts of Cobar and The Barwon. Cobar also absorbed parts of the abolished districts of The Bogan and Forbes. The electoral district included all of the counties of Canbelego, Robinson and Yanda as well as parts of the surrounding counties of Booroondarra, Cowper, Flinders, Gregory, Oxley, Rankin, Werunda and Woore.[5][6] Cobar's economy was centered around copper mining,[7] and the district also included Nyngan which was established in 1883 as a stop on the Main Western railway line on its way to Bourke.

At its establishment in 1894 Cobar had 1,646 enrolled voters, slightly less than the average of 2,046.[8] In 1904 the number of enrolled voters nearly doubled as women were given the right to vote while the number of members of the Legislative Assembly was reduced from 125 to 90 as a result of the 1903 New South Wales referendum.[9] Cobar absorbed parts of The Lachlan and parts of the abolished seats of The Barwon, Condoublin and Wilcannia.[10] The combined effect of the changes meant that the number of enrolled voters in Cobar went from 3,501,[11] to 6,488,[12] an increase of 185%. The district was significantly expanded in 1913, absorbing most of The Darling, including the town of Bourke.[13]

Cobar was abolished in 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation,[14] and was absorbed by the expanded district of Sturt, along with Willyama to create a three-member electorate covering most of the Western Division of New South Wales. Proportional representation was abolished in 1927, with Bourke going to the re-created district of Namoi, while Cobar and Nyngan were in the re-created district of Lachlan.

Cobar was re-created in 1930, and comprised part of the districts of Sturt, Lachlan and Namoi, including the towns of Cobar, Bourke, Brewarrina, Byrock, Wilcannia, White Cliffs and part of Broken Hill.[15]

The 1949 redistribution saw Cobar absorb the entire district of Sturt, but lost Bourke and Nyngan to Castlereagh and South Broken Hill and Menindee to the re-constituted Sturt.[16][17]

Cobar, along with Sturt were abolished as a result of the 1966 redistribution, replaced by the new district of Broken Hill, which included all of the town, and the district extended from the border with Victoria on the Murray River to the Queensland border in the north, including the towns of Wentworth and Wilcannia. The town of Cobar was absorbed by Castlereagh, which moved west, while south western part of the district was absorbed by the district of Temora.[18]

Members for Cobar

First incarnation (1894–1920)
Member Party Term
  Thomas Waddell Protectionist 1894–1898
  William Spence Labor 1898–1901
  Donald Macdonell Labor 1901–1911
  Charles Fern Labor 1911–1918
  Mat Davidson Labor 1918–1920
Second incarnation (1930–1968)
Member Party Term
  Mat Davidson Labor 1930–1939
  Industrial Labor 1939–1939
  Labor 1939–1949
  Ernest Wetherell Labor 1949–1965
  Lew Johnstone Labor 1965–1968

Election results

Main article: Electoral results for the district of Cobar
1965 New South Wales state election: Cobar [19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Lew Johnstone 6,200 45.0 −55.0
Liberal Allan Connell 5,174 37.5 +37.5
Independent Douglas McFarlane 1,416 10.3 +10.3
Independent William Edwards 997 7.2 +7.2
Total formal votes 13,787 97.8
Informal votes 315 2.2
Turnout 14,102 89.6
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Lew Johnstone 7,636 55.4 −44.6
Liberal Allan Connell 6,151 44.6 +44.6
Labor hold Swing N/A

Notes

References

  1. ^ "Part 5B alphabetical list of all electorates and Members since 1856" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  2. ^ "Former Members". Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  3. ^ Green, Antony. "Elections for the District of Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  4. ^ "1893 Redistribution". Atlas of New South Wales. NSW Land & Property Information. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
  5. ^ "Maps and sketches of proposed Electoral Districts". New South Wales Government Gazette. 23 August 1893. p. 6583. Retrieved 12 April 2020 – via Trove.
  6. ^ "Proclamation: names and boundaries of electoral districts". New South Wales Government Gazette. 5 October 1893. p. 7751. Retrieved 12 April 2020 – via Trove.
  7. ^ "The Great Cobar Copper Mines". Australian Town and Country Journal. 3 August 1878. p. 23. Retrieved 17 August 2020 – via Trove.
  8. ^ Green, Antony. "1894 Turnout". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  9. ^ "1904 Redistribution". Atlas of New South Wales. NSW Land & Property Information. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
  10. ^ "The new electorates: where and what they are". Evening News. 26 March 1904. p. 3. Retrieved 7 December 2019 – via Trove.
  11. ^ Green, Antony. "1901 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  12. ^ Green, Antony. "1904 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  13. ^ "1912 Redistribution". Atlas of New South Wales. NSW Land & Property Information. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
  14. ^ "1919 Redistribution". Atlas of New South Wales. NSW Land & Property Information. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
  15. ^ "State politics: changes in electorates". Barrier Miner. 6 September 1929. p. 1. Retrieved 27 August 2020 – via Trove.
  16. ^ "Sturt, Cobar electorates". Barrier Miner. 20 October 1949. p. 5. Retrieved 27 August 2020 – via Trove.
  17. ^ "1949 Redistribution". Atlas of New South Wales. NSW Land & Property Information. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
  18. ^ "1966 Redistribution". Atlas of New South Wales. NSW Land & Property Information. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
  19. ^ Green, Antony. "1965 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
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