Psephos - Adam Carr's Election Archive

Adam Carr's Election Archive

Australian federal election, 2019
Division of Riverina, New South Wales

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Central New South Wales: Cowra, Parkes, Temora, Wagga Wagga, Young
State seats: parts of Cootamundra, Orange and Wagga Wagga
Local government areas: All of Bland, Coolamon, Cootamundra, Cowra, Forbes, Gundagai, Harden, Junee, Lockhart, Parkes, Temora, Wagga Wagga, Weddin and Young
Enrolment at close of rolls: 114,109
1999 republic referendum: No 66.5
2018 same-sex marriage survey: Yes 54.6

Sitting member: Hon Michael McCormack (Nationals): Elected 2010, 2013, 2016

2007 Nationals majority over Labor: 16.2%
2010 Nationals majority over Labor: 18.2%
2013 Nationals majority over Labor: 21.2%
2016 Nationals majority over Labor: 16.4%

Status: Very safe Nationals

  • 2016 results
  • Statistics and history

  • Candidates in ballot-paper order:

    1. Hon Michael McCormack
    The Nationals
    2. Michael Bayles
    Australian Greens
    3. Mark Jeffreson
    Australian Labor Party
    4. Richard Foley
    United Australia Party



    Candidate websites:

    Michael Bayles
    Mark Jeffreson
    Hon Michael McCormack

    Division of Riverina

    Riverina has existed since Federation, except for the period from 1984 to 1993 when it was called Riverina-Darling. Its boundaries have moved around quite a lot over the years: it contained Broken Hill from 1977 to 1984, and did not acquire Wagga Wagga until 1993. On its new boundaries it's not really a Riverina seat at all. Until 40 years ago it was a marginal seat which changed hands regularly, but Labor hasn't won it since 1977 (when it contained Broken Hill) and it has now become a very safe non-Labor seat.

    Riverina has the usual demographic markers of a rural seat: a low level of median family income, a low proportion of people born in non English speaking countries, and a fairly low proportion of people in professional and managerial occupations. Its current boundaries make it one of the most heavily agricultural seats in Australia.

    The best-known recent member for Riverina was Al Grassby, who won the seat in a spectacular swing in 1969 and was a minister in the Whitlam Government.

    Michael McCormack, Nationals MP for Riverina since 2010, was a journalist and editor with regional newspapers and an author of books on local history before his election. He was known as an extreme conservative in his early career but has now somewhat modified his views. He became a parliamentary secretary in 2013 and a minister in 2016. In February 2018, following the self-destruction of Barnaby Joyce, he was elected Leader of the Nationals and then succeeded Joyce in his posts as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure.

    The 2016 redistribution pushed Riverina sharply northwards, removing Griffith, Leeton and Narrandera, and adding Cootamundra, Cowra, Forbes and Young. The only parts of the seat which are actually in the Riverina region are now Wagga Wagga and Lockhart. The changes reduced the Nationals majority slightly, but it is still a perfectly safe Nationals seat.

    The Labor candidate in 2019 will be Mark Jeffreson, a Wagga businessman. The Greens candidate is Michael Bayles, a retired food technologist.

    Demographics:

    Median weekly household income: $1,147 (Australia $1,438)
    People over 65: 19.6% (Australia 15.8%)
    Indigenous: 6.1% (Australia 2.8%)
    Australian born: 84.6% (Australia 66.7%)
    Non-English-speaking households: 5.0% (Australia 22.2%)
    Catholics 30.3% (Australia 22.6%)
    No religion 18.4% (Australia 29.6%)
    University graduates: 12.3% (Australia 22.0%)
    Professional and managerial employment: 32.8% (Australia 35.2%)
    Employed in manufacturing and construction: 20.9% (Australia 22.9%)
    Employed in agriculture: 17.0% (Australia 3.3%)
    Paying a mortgage: 30.3% (Australia 34.5%)
    Renting: 28.5% (Australia 30.9%)
    Traditional families: 27.3% (Australia 32.8%)

    Members:

    John Chanter (Prot) 1901-03
    Robert Blackwood (FT) 1903-04
    Hon John Chanter (Prot, ALP) 1904b-13
    Franc Falkiner (Lib) 1913-14
    Hon John Chanter (ALP, Nat) 1914-22
    William Killen (CP) 1922-31
    Horace Nock (CP) 1931-40
    Joseph Langtry (ALP) 1940-49
    Hon Hugh Roberton (CP) 1949-65
    Adam Armstrong (CP) 1965b-69
    Hon Al Grassby (ALP) 1969-74
    John Sullivan (CP, NCP) 1974-77
    John FitzPatrick (ALP) 1977-80
    Noel Hicks (NCP, NPA) 1980-98
    Kay Hull (NPA) 1998-2010
    Hon Michael McCormack (Nat) 2010-

    Boundaries following 2016 redistribution:




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