Electoral district of Cobar

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	Labour	1898–1901
	Donald Macdonell	Labour	1901–1911
	Charles Fern	Labour	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

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

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

[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.

[Green_Cobar-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.

[Maps_&_sketches-5] "Maps and sketches of proposed Electoral Districts". New South Wales Government Gazette. 23 August 1893. p. 6583. Retrieved 12 April 2020 – via Trove.

[Names_&_boundaries-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.

[Green_1894_turnout-8] Green, Antony. "1894 Turnout". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 August 2020.

[Atlas_1904-9] "1904 Redistribution". Atlas of New South Wales. NSW Land & Property Information. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.

[New_electorates-10] "The new electorates: where and what they are". Evening News. 26 March 1904. p. 3. Retrieved 7 December 2019 – via Trove.

[Green_1901_Cobar-11] Green, Antony. "1901 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 August 2020.

[Green_1904_Cobar-12] Green, Antony. "1904 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 August 2020.

[Atlas_1912-13] "1912 Redistribution". Atlas of New South Wales. NSW Land & Property Information. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.

[Atlas_1919-14] "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.

[Atlas_1949-17] "1949 Redistribution". Atlas of New South Wales. NSW Land & Property Information. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.

[Atlas_1966-18] "1966 Redistribution". Atlas of New South Wales. NSW Land & Property Information. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.

[Results_of_the_1965_New_South_Wales_state_election_Green_1965_Cobar-19] Green, Antony. "1965 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 May 2020.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

v t e Members of the Parliament of New South Wales
Legislative Assembly	1856–1858 1858–1859 1859–1860 1860–1864 1864–1869 1869–1872 1872–1874 1874–1877 1877–1880 1880–1882 1882–1885 1885–1887 1887–1889 1889–1891 1891–1894 1894–1895 1895–1898 1898–1901 1901–1904 1904–1907 1907–1910 1910–1913 1913–1917 1917–1920 1920–1922 1922–1925 1925–1927 1927–1930 1930–1932 1932–1935 1935–1938 1938–1941 1941–1944 1944–1947 1947–1950 1950–1953 1953–1956 1956–1959 1959–1962 1962–1965 1965–1968 1968–1971 1971–1973 1973–1976 1976–1978 1978–1981 1981–1984 1984–1988 1988–1991 1991–1995 1995–1999 1999–2003 2003–2007 2007–2011 2011–2015 2015–2019 2019–2023 2023–2027
Legislative Council	1823–1843 1843–1851 1851–1856 1856–1861 1861–1864 1864–1869 1869–1872 1872–1874 1874–1877 1877–1880 1880–1882 1882–1885 1885–1887 1887–1889 1889–1891 1891–1894 1894–1895 1895–1898 1898–1901 1901–1904 1904–1907 1907–1910 1910–1913 1913–1917 1917–1920 1920–1922 1922–1925 1925–1927 1927–1930 1930–1932 1932–1934 1934–1937 1937–1940 1940–1943 1943–1946 1946–1949 1949–1952 1952–1955 1955–1958 1958–1961 1961–1964 1964–1967 1967–1970 1970–1973 1973–1976 1976–1978 1978–1981 1981–1984 1984–1988 1988–1991 1991–1995 1995–1999 1999–2003 2003–2007 2007–2011 2011–2015 2015–2019 2019–2023 2023–2027