Adam Carr's Election Archive

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Australian federal election, 2022
Division of Robertson, New South Wales

Named for: Hon Sir John Robertson (1816-91), NSW MP 1856-57, 1858-61, 1862-81, 1882-86, Premier 1860-61, 1868-70, 1875-77, 1877, 1885-86

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Central Coast New South Wales: Avoca Beach, Gosford, Terrigal, Umina, Woy Woy
State seats: All of Gosford, parts of Terrigal and The Entrance
Local government areas: Parts of Central Coast
Borders with: Berowra, Dobell, Hunter and Macquarie

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Enrolment at 2019 election: 111,255
Enrolment at 2022 election: 112,688 (+01.3)

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1999 republic referendum: No 56.0
2018 same-sex marriage survey: Yes 65.7

Sitting member: Lucy Wicks (Liberal): Elected 2013, 2016, 2019

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2007 Labor majority over Liberal: 0.1%
2010 Labor majority over Liberal: 1.0%
2013 Liberal majority over Labor: 3.0%
2016 Liberal majority over Labor: 1.1%
2019 Liberal majority over Labor: 4.2%

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Liberal two-party vote 1983-2019

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Status: Marginal Liberal

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Best Liberal booths, two-party vote: Mangrove Mountain (72.0), Somersby (71.2), Davistown (61.9), Erina Heights (61.1), Erina Central (60.7)
Best Labor booths, two-party vote: Gosford North (60.7), Mooney Mooney (58.6), Wyoming (58.5), Pretty Beach (58.0), Woy Woy (56.4)

2019 results

Statistics and history

Candidates in ballot-paper order:

1. Patrick Murphy Animal Justice Party	2. Dr Gordon Reid Australian Labor Party	3. Paul Borthwick Citizens Party	4. Lucy Wicks Liberal Party

5. Barbara-Jane Murray United Australia Party	6. Dr Bentley Logan Liberal Democrats	7. Jeffrey Lawson Indigenous-Aboriginal Party	8. Bill O'Grady Pauline Hanson's One Nation

9. Kate Mason Informed Medical Options	10. Alexandra Hafner Australian Federation Party	11. Shelley McGrath Australian Greens

Candidate websites:

Paul Borthwick
Alexandra Hafner
Jeff Lawson
Dr Bentley Logan
Shelley McGrath
Kate Mason
Patrick Murphy
Barbara-Jane Murray
Bill O'Grady
Dr Gordon Reid
Lucy Wicks

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Division of Robertson

Robertson has existed since Federation, and was originally a country seat based on Mudgee. Successive redistributions have moved it towards the coast, and it now contains none of its original territory. Since 1949 it has taken in the Central Coast region, and in 1969 it was cut back to the Gosford and Wyong areas. Wyong was removed in 1984 and most of the seat's votes are now cast in Gosford, Woy Woy and Ettalong, all popular tourist and retirement areas.

Robertson has usually been a marginal seat, although the demographic trends on the Central Coast are commonly said to be favouring the Liberals. It has a fairly high median family income level as a result of the Gosford area being colonised by affluent Sydney exurbanites. But the seat also has a high proportion of retirees and pensioners, which gives it its high level of people over 65.

From 1969 to 1990 Robertson was held by two successive Labor ministers, Barry Cohen and Frank Walker. Jim Lloyd won it for the Liberals in 1996. Under the Howard government he became Chief Government Whip and then a junior minister. He was defeated in 2007 by former Labor Senator Belinda Neal. Her term was marked by a series of gaffes which resulted in her losing her preselection at the 2010 election. Despite this, Labor's Deb O'Neill held the seat with an increased majority in 2010. In 2013, however, the Liberals regained the seat. O'Neill later became a NSW Senator.

Lucy Wicks, Liberal MP for Robertson since 2013, was a teacher, electorate officer and Telstra executive before entering politics. She improved her position in the seat at the 2019 election, but it is still a marginal seat. The Labor candidate is Dr Gordon Reid, who works in the emergency department of Wyong Hospital. The Greens candidate is Shelley McGrath, whose occupation is not stated.

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Demographics:

Median weekly household income: $1,304 (Australia $1,438)
People over 65: 21.6% (Australia 15.8%)
Indigenous: 2.8% (Australia 2.8%)
Australian born: 76.5% (Australia 66.7%)
Non-English-speaking households: 9.4% (Australia 22.2%)
Catholics 23.9% (Australia 22.6%)
No religion 28.9% (Australia 29.6%)
University graduates: 17.7% (Australia 22.0%)
Professional and managerial employment: 34.2% (Australia 35.2%)
Employed in manufacturing and construction: 25.4% (Australia 22.9%)
Paying a mortgage: 33.0% (Australia 34.5%)
Renting: 26.7% (Australia 30.9%)
Traditional families: 29.7% (Australia 32.8%)

Gallery of Members for Robertson

Boundaries following most recent redistribution:



See full-size map of this Division

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