| Menzies |
Division of Mitchell | Moncrieff |
 Alex Hawke (Lib) His electorate website |  |
Location: Sydney: Baulkham Hills, Castle Hill, Crestwood, Rouse Hill Division named for: Sir Thomas Mitchell, surveyor and explorer of NSW Median weekly family income: $1,580 (6th highest) Persons born in non English speaking countries: 17.3% (44th highest) Persons in professional occupations: 36.5% (20th highest) Persons aged 65 and over: 9.2% (122nd highest) Couple families with dependent children: 48.4% (3rd highest) Dwellings being purchased: 35.8% (21st highest) Sitting member: Alex Hawke (Liberal), elected 2007 Born 9 July 1977, Wollongong, NSW. Career: Educated University of Sydney. NSW and federal president, Young Liberals. Adviser to Senator Hon Helen Coonan 2001-03, to Hon David Clarke MLC 2003-07, to Ray Williams MLA 2007. 1996 two-party majority: Liberal 25.7 1998 two-party majority: Liberal 19.9 Effect of 2001 redistribution: 00.4 shift to Labor 2001 two-party majority: Liberal 21.4 2004 two-party majority: Liberal 20.7 Effect of 2006 redistribution: no change 2007 notional two-party majority: Liberal 20.7 2007 two-party majority: Liberal 11.6 
2004 enrolment: 95,480 2007 enrolment: 88,417 (-07.4%) (new boundaries) Mitchell was created in 1949, based in the outer north-western suburbs of Sydney and the towns of the Hawkesbury district. Until 1977 it included some working-class suburbs around Blacktown and Toongabbie and was a marginal seat. Since then it has consisted of a block of suburbs running north from Baulkham Hills. These are among the most affluent suburbs in Australia, and have a very high proportion of families with dependent children and of dwellings being purchased: Mitchell is the ultimate high income mortgage belt seat. This area is also in the heart of Sydney's "Bible belt" of suburbs with strong evangelical Christian communities. These factors have made Mitchell one of the safest Liberal seats in Australia. Alan Cadman held Mitchell for the Liberals from 1974 to 2007, spending most of that time on the backbench. He announced his retirement in June 2007 when it became obvious that he did not have the numbers to be re-endorsed. His successor is Alex Hawke, a former Young Liberals president and ministerial staffer. The loss of Cadman's personal vote contributed to a 9.1% swing in 2007, but the Liberals still won every booth. The Liberals polled 77% of the two-party vote an Annangrove, and also passed 70% at Glenhaven, Kenthurst, Kilvinton and Mowll. Labor polled 48% at Baulkham Hills High. | |  Two-party vote by booth, 2007
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