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Parramatta Australian House of Representatives Division
Division of Parramatta (green) in New South Wales
Created	1901
MP	Julie Owens
Party	Labor
Namesake	Parramatta, New South Wales
Electors	98,565 (2013)
Area	56 km (21.6 sq mi)
Demographic	Inner Metropolitan

The Division of Parramatta is an Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for the locality of Parramatta. The name Parramatta has been sourced to an Aboriginal word for the area. The Darug people had lived in the area for many generations, and regarded the area as a food bowl, rich in food from the river and forests. They called the area Baramada or Burramatta ('Parramatta') which means "the place where the eels lie down".

The division is based in the western suburbs of Sydney. Besides Parramatta, it includes Constitution Hill, Dundas Valley, Granville, Harris Park, Holroyd, Mays Hill, North Parramatta, Oatlands, Old Toongabbie, Rosehill, Rydalmere, Telopea, Wentworthville, Westmead and parts of Dundas, Ermington, Guildford, Merrylands, Merrylands West, Northmead, North Rocks, Pendle Hill, South Granville and South Wentworthville.

The current Member for the Division of Parramatta, since the 2004 federal election, is Julie Owens, a member of the Australian Labor Party.

History

The seat was held by the Liberals and their predecessors for all but one term from Federation until 1977. However, since 1977 it has been located between Labor's traditional heartland of western Sydney and the traditional Liberal stronghold of the North Shore. As a result, whenever the seat is redistributed, a shift of a few kilometres to the west or north can radically alter its political landscape. For instance, in the 2006 redistribution, Parramatta changed its status, shifting from marginally Labor to notionally marginally Liberal (as defined by the Australian Electoral Commission). Nevertheless, as was widely expected at the 2007 federal election, the incumbent Labor member, Julie Owens, held the seat ahead of Liberal candidate Colin Robinson, a member of the Electrical Trades Union. with an increased majority.

Owens has subsequently been re-elected at the 2010 and 2013 elections.

Prominent members of Parramatta over the years have included (Sir) Joseph Cook, a former Prime Minister; (Sir) Garfield Barwick and Nigel Bowen, both of whom served as Attorney-General before moving to senior judicial position, Barwick as Chief Justice of the High Court. Former Attorney-General and Immigration Minister, Phillip Ruddock also represented the seat; as did John Brown, a former Sports Minister.

Members

Election results

References

1. ^ "NSW Division - Parramatta, NSW". Virtual Tally Room, Election 2013. Australian Electoral Commission. 30 September 2013 05:59:55 PM. Retrieved 6 November 2013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
2. Troy, Jakelin. "The Sydney Language". Macquarie Aboriginal Words. Sydney: Macquarie Library. p. 76.
3. ^ Green, Antony (2010). "Parramattta". Australia votes 2010. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
4. ^ Carr, Adam (2007). "Division of Parramatta". Guide to the 2007 Federal Election. Retrieved 22 September 2007.

External links

• Division of Parramatta - Australian Electoral Commission

33°48′32″S 151°00′40″E / 33.809°S 151.011°E / -33.809; 151.011

• Electoral divisions of Australia
• Constituencies established in 1901
• 1901 establishments in Australia