City of Campbelltown, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
The City of Campbelltown is a Local Government Area in south-western Sydney
, in the state of New South Wales
, Australia
, located about 55 km south west of the Sydney central business district
. Australia. The area of City of Campbelltown along with the local government areas of the Wollondilly Shire and Camden Council make up the historical reputable Macarthur Region
.
. The town was one of a series of south-western settlements being established by Macquarie at that time. Others include Ingleburn and Liverpool
.
Campbelltown Council was originally incorporated in 1882. The present boundaries of the City of Campbelltown were largely formed in 1949, following the amalgamation of the Municipalities of Ingleburn (incorporated in April 1896) and Campbelltown, as part of a rationalisation of local government areas across New South Wales following World War II.
Campbelltown was designated in the early 1960s in the Sydney Region Outline Plan, prepared by the Planning Commission of New South Wales as a satellite city, and a regional capital for the south west of Sydney. There was extensive building and population growth in the intervening time and the government surrounded the township with areas which were set aside for public and private housing and industry.
Campbelltown was declared a City by the Hon. P.H. Morton MLA, Minister for Local Government and Highways, on May 4, 1968. That same day saw the arrival of the first electric train to Campbelltown from Sydney.
As a City, Campbelltown honoured the 1st Signals Regiment (now the 1st Joins Support Unit) with the medieval custom of the Freedom of the City. The Mayor, Alderman Clive Tregear, wanted to recognise the contribution to the units based at the Ingleburn Army Barracks. The Regiment marched through Campbelltown until it got transferred to Queensland in the late 1980s.
Campbelltown was presented with its own coat of arms in 1969. The Arms were based those on the Arms of the Campbell Family in Scotland.
Campbelltown today acts as a significant regional centre for southwestern Sydney with a rail line, major hospital, university and several shopping centres.
overlap the City of Campbelltown, Werriwa
and Macarthur
. Four state electorates
overlap Campbelltown: Camden
, Campbelltown
, Macquarie Fields
and the Wollondilly
.
The current council, elected in 2008, is:
The seat of Camden predominantly covers the neighbouring Camden Council, only including small parts of Campbelltown west of the Hume Highway, and washeld by Labor's Geoff Corrigan, the former Mayor of Camden. The seat was won off the Liberal Party at the 2003 State election but they reclaimed it in 2011
The seat of Campbelltown covers southern parts of the City of Campbelltown, and is held by Labor's Graham West
. The seat was previously held by Olympics Minister Michael Knight
, prior to his resignation in 2001, which triggered a by-election, won by Labor candidate Graham West
. It fell to the Liberals in 2011 for the first time in decades, won by Campbelltown's former Chief Inspector Bryan Doyle
with a swing of more than 20%.
The seat of Macquarie Fields covers northern parts of Campbelltown and some of the newer estates of Liverpool
, and is held by Labor's Dr Andrew McDonald
. The seat was held for many years by senior NSW minister Craig Knowles
, who retired in 2005 in conjunction with the retirement of Premier Bob Carr
and Deputy Premier Andrew Refshauge
. Cr Steven Chaytor
, an advisor to former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
and Campbelltown City councillor, gained the seat in a September by-election
. On January 19, 2007, Steven Chaytor withdrew as a candidate for Macquarie Fields for the March 2007 election, following his conviction for assaulting his former girlfriend, which was overturned on appeal after the 2007 election. He was replaced by Dr McDonald as Labor candidate, who went on to win the seat.
The seat of Wollondilly covers parts of southern Campbelltown, as well as covering Wollondilly Shire. It was created in the 2006 NSW redistribution, and was first won at the 2007 election by former Wollondilly Mayor and Labor candidate Cr Phil Costa.It also fell to the Liberals in 2011
and the southern half of the city being taken in by the Division of Macarthur
.
Werriwa has been held by the Australian Labor Party
for over 70 years, and was held by Leader of the Opposition
Mark Latham
prior to his resignation in early 2005. Following this by-election
in March 2005, Labor's Chris Hayes
was elected to the House of Representatives
.
Macarthur has been traditionally a bellwether
seat, which shifted northwards into Campbelltown following the 1998 redistribution
. While this redistribution made the seat, held at the time by former NSW Liberal Premier John Fahey
, notionally Labor, the nomination of former ultra-marathon runner Pat Farmer for the Liberal party helped defeat the Labor Party, and the seat briefly became a safe Liberal seat. At the 2007 Australian Federal Election, however, Farmer suffered a massive swing against him and he retained the seat only narrowly.
It was subsequently won by the Liberals Russell Matheson at the 2010 Federal Election.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, in the state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, located about 55 km south west of the Sydney central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. Australia. The area of City of Campbelltown along with the local government areas of the Wollondilly Shire and Camden Council make up the historical reputable Macarthur Region
Macarthur, New South Wales
Macarthur is a region in south-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The region includes the local government areas of the City of Campbelltown, Camden Council and Wollondilly Shire. It covers an area of 3,067 square kilometres and has a population of close to 240,000 residents...
.
Suburbs in the local government area
Suburbs in the City of Campbelltown are:- AirdsAirds, New South WalesAirds is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Airds is located 56 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- AmbarvaleAmbarvale, New South WalesAmbarvale is a suburb of south-western Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ambarvale is located 55 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region...
- Blair AtholBlair Athol, New South WalesBlair Athol is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Blair Athol is located 57 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- BlairmountBlairmount, New South WalesBlairmount is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Blairmount is located 58 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region...
- Bow BowingBow Bowing, New South WalesBow Bowing is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bow Bowing is located 55 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- BradburyBradbury, New South WalesBradbury is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bradbury is located 54 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- CampbelltownCampbelltown, New South WalesCampbelltown is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Campbelltown is located 51 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Campbelltown.- History :Campbelltown...
- ClaymoreClaymore, New South WalesClaymore is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Claymore is located 54 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region. The majority of housing in Claymore is...
- Denham CourtDenham Court, New South WalesDenham Court is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Denham Court is located 44 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of the City of Campbelltown and City of Liverpool. It is part of the Macarthur region.- History...
- Eagle ValeEagle Vale, New South WalesEagle Vale is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Eagle Vale is located 56 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- Englorie ParkEnglorie Park, New South WalesEnglorie Park is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Englorie Park is located 55 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region.Englorie Park is a relatively...
- Eschol ParkEschol Park, New South WalesEschol Park is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Eschol Park is located 60 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region.-History:The area now known as Eschol...
- GileadGilead, New South WalesGilead is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Gilead is located 58 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- Glen AlpineGlen Alpine, New South WalesGlen Alpine is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Glen Alpine is located 56 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- GlenfieldGlenfield, New South WalesGlenfield is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Glenfield is located 40 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of the City of Campbelltown and the City of Liverpool...
- IngleburnIngleburn, New South WalesIngleburn is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ingleburn is located 44 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region...
- KearnsKearns, New South WalesKearns is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kearns is located 57 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- KentlynKentlyn, New South WalesKentlyn is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kentlyn is located 58 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- LeumeahLeumeah, New South WalesLeumeah is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Leumeah is located 52 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown...
- Long PointLong Point, New South WalesLong Point is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Long Point is located 46 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown.-History:...
- Macquarie FieldsMacquarie Fields, New South WalesMacquarie Fields is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Macquarie Fields is located 42 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region.Macquarie Fields has a mix...
- Macquarie LinksMacquarie Links, New South WalesMacquarie Links is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Macquarie Links is located 42 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region.Macquarie Links is a gated...
- Menangle ParkMenangle Park, New South WalesMenangle Park is a village in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Menangle Park is located 56 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown...
- MintoMinto, New South WalesMinto is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Minto is located 48 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region.-History:...
- Minto HeightsMinto Heights, New South WalesMinto Heights of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Minto Heights is located 50 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- RabyRaby, New South WalesRaby is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Raby is located 55 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region.-History:...
- RosemeadowRosemeadow, New South WalesRosemeadow is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rosemeadow is located 56 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- RuseRuse, New South WalesRuse is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ruse is located 52 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown.-History:...
- St AndrewsSt Andrews, New South WalesSt Andrews is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. St Andrews is located 55 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- St Helens ParkSt Helens Park, New South WalesSt Helens Park is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. St Helens Park is located 56 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region.-History:St Helens Park draws...
- VarrovilleVarroville, New South WalesVarroville is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Varroville is located 46 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region...
- WedderburnWedderburn, New South WalesWedderburn is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wedderburn is located 57 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region....
- WoodbineWoodbine, New South WalesWoodbine is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Woodbine is located 55 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region...
History and Growth
Campbelltown was founded in 1820, named after Elizabeth Macquarie née Campbell, wife of the then Governor of New South Wales Lachlan MacquarieLachlan Macquarie
Major-General Lachlan Macquarie CB , was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of the colony...
. The town was one of a series of south-western settlements being established by Macquarie at that time. Others include Ingleburn and Liverpool
Liverpool, New South Wales
Liverpool is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool is located 32 km south-west of the Sydney central business district, and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Liverpool...
.
Campbelltown Council was originally incorporated in 1882. The present boundaries of the City of Campbelltown were largely formed in 1949, following the amalgamation of the Municipalities of Ingleburn (incorporated in April 1896) and Campbelltown, as part of a rationalisation of local government areas across New South Wales following World War II.
Campbelltown was designated in the early 1960s in the Sydney Region Outline Plan, prepared by the Planning Commission of New South Wales as a satellite city, and a regional capital for the south west of Sydney. There was extensive building and population growth in the intervening time and the government surrounded the township with areas which were set aside for public and private housing and industry.
Campbelltown was declared a City by the Hon. P.H. Morton MLA, Minister for Local Government and Highways, on May 4, 1968. That same day saw the arrival of the first electric train to Campbelltown from Sydney.
As a City, Campbelltown honoured the 1st Signals Regiment (now the 1st Joins Support Unit) with the medieval custom of the Freedom of the City. The Mayor, Alderman Clive Tregear, wanted to recognise the contribution to the units based at the Ingleburn Army Barracks. The Regiment marched through Campbelltown until it got transferred to Queensland in the late 1980s.
Campbelltown was presented with its own coat of arms in 1969. The Arms were based those on the Arms of the Campbell Family in Scotland.
Campbelltown today acts as a significant regional centre for southwestern Sydney with a rail line, major hospital, university and several shopping centres.
Politics
Two federal electoratesAustralian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
overlap the City of Campbelltown, Werriwa
Division of Werriwa
The Division of Werriwa is a Federal Electoral Division for the Australian House of Representatives.The name Werriwa derives from a local Aboriginal name for Lake George, which was located in the division when it was established in 1900. The division was one of the original 75 divisions first...
and Macarthur
Division of Macarthur
The Division of Macarthur is an Australia Federal electoral division covering outer south-west Sydney. Its present boundaries cover the southern suburbs of Campbelltown, all of the local government area of Camden and small parts of Wollondilly. It covers 537 km² and is named after John...
. Four state electorates
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
overlap Campbelltown: Camden
Electoral district of Camden
Camden is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's south-west. It is currently represented by Chris Patterson of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
, Campbelltown
Electoral district of Campbelltown
Campbelltown is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's South-west.It is represented by Bryan Doyle of the Liberal Party of Australia.-Members for Campbelltown:-Election results:...
, Macquarie Fields
Electoral district of Macquarie Fields
Macquarie Fields is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, located in the outer south-western suburbs of Sydney. It is currently represented by Dr Andrew McDonald of the Australian Labor Party....
and the Wollondilly
Electoral district of Wollondilly
Wollondilly is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently held by Jai Rowell of the Liberal Party of Australia....
.
Council
Campbelltown City Council is composed of fifteen councillors elected proportionally. The mayor is not directly elected. The current makeup of the council is as follows:| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Labor Party Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
6 | |
| Liberal Party of Australia Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
4 | |
| Community First Team | 1 | |
| The Greens Australian Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which... |
1 | |
| Totally Locally Committed Party | 1 | |
| Bob Thompson's Independent Team | 1 | |
| Save Campbelltown Koalas | 1 | |
| Total | 15 | |
The current council, elected in 2008, is:
| Councillor | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rule | Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
||
| Jai Rowell Jai Rowell Jai Travers Rowell MP , an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Wollondilly for the Liberal Party since 2011.-Early career and background:... |
Liberal Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
||
| Russell Matheson Russell Matheson Russell Glenn Matheson , an Australian federal politician, is a Member of the Australian House of Representatives for the seat of Macarthur representing the Liberal Party of Australia, elected at the 2010 federal election... |
Liberal Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
Elected as Community First; joined Liberal Party in 2009. | |
| Julie Bourke | Greens Australian Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which... |
||
| Rudi Kolkman | Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
||
| Paul Hawker | Liberal Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
||
| Anoulack Chanthivong | Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
Mayor | |
| George Greiss | Liberal Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
||
| Mollie Thomas | Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
Deputy Mayor | |
| Wal Glynn | Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
||
| Meg Oates | Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
||
| Fred Borg | Totally Locally Committed | ||
| Bob Thompson | Bob Thompson Independents | ||
| Sue Dobson | Save Campbelltown Koalas | ||
| Paul Lake | Community First | ||
State Politics
Labor candidates have dominated state and federal elections in Campbelltown over recent decades. However only the seat of Macquarie fields is now held by Labor. Campbelltown, Camden & Wollindilly fell to the Liberals at the March 2011 election.The seat of Camden predominantly covers the neighbouring Camden Council, only including small parts of Campbelltown west of the Hume Highway, and washeld by Labor's Geoff Corrigan, the former Mayor of Camden. The seat was won off the Liberal Party at the 2003 State election but they reclaimed it in 2011
The seat of Campbelltown covers southern parts of the City of Campbelltown, and is held by Labor's Graham West
Graham West
Graham James West , a former Australian politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Campbelltown between 2001 and 2011 for the Australian Labor Party. He was Minister for Juvenile Justice, Minister for Volunteering and Minister for Youth in the New South Wales State...
. The seat was previously held by Olympics Minister Michael Knight
Michael Knight (Australian politician)
Michael Steven Knight AO is a former Australian politician. He was member for Campbelltown in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1981 and 2001. He served as Minister for the Olympics between 1995 and 2001 in the Carr Labor government.- Education :Knight attended Doonside High School...
, prior to his resignation in 2001, which triggered a by-election, won by Labor candidate Graham West
Graham West
Graham James West , a former Australian politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Campbelltown between 2001 and 2011 for the Australian Labor Party. He was Minister for Juvenile Justice, Minister for Volunteering and Minister for Youth in the New South Wales State...
. It fell to the Liberals in 2011 for the first time in decades, won by Campbelltown's former Chief Inspector Bryan Doyle
Bryan Doyle
Bryan Michael Doyle MP, an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Campbelltown for the Liberal Party of Australia since 2011.-Early years and background:...
with a swing of more than 20%.
The seat of Macquarie Fields covers northern parts of Campbelltown and some of the newer estates of Liverpool
City of Liverpool
-Aircraft:* City of Liverpool , an Imperial Airways Armstrong Whitworth Argosy that crashed in 1933 in what is suspected to be the first ever occurrence of aerial sabotage-Locations:* Liverpool, a city in the north west of England...
, and is held by Labor's Dr Andrew McDonald
Andrew McDonald (Australian politician)
Andrew Dominic McDonald is an Australian doctor and politician. He attended St. Leo's Catholic College in Wahroonga, before studying medicine at the University of Sydney. He worked as a paediatrician at Campbelltown Hospital for 17 years prior to joining the Labor Party...
. The seat was held for many years by senior NSW minister Craig Knowles
Craig Knowles
Craig John Knowles is a former Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1990 to 2005....
, who retired in 2005 in conjunction with the retirement of Premier Bob Carr
Bob Carr
Robert John "Bob" Carr , Australian statesman, was Premier of New South Wales from 4 April 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as premier of NSW...
and Deputy Premier Andrew Refshauge
Andrew Refshauge
Andrew John Refshauge was an Australian politician and Deputy Premier of New South Wales from 1995 to 2005.Refshauge was born in Melbourne, the son of Major-General Sir William Refshauge AC CBE ED , who later became Honorary Physician to Queen Elizabeth II 1955–64 and Director-General of the...
. Cr Steven Chaytor
Steven Chaytor
Steven John Chaytor is an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 2005 to 2007, representing the southwest Sydney electorate of Macquarie Fields....
, an advisor to former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
and Campbelltown City councillor, gained the seat in a September by-election
Macquarie Fields state by-election, 2005
A by-election was staged in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly district of Macquarie Fields on 22 September 2005. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting member and former minister Craig Knowles...
. On January 19, 2007, Steven Chaytor withdrew as a candidate for Macquarie Fields for the March 2007 election, following his conviction for assaulting his former girlfriend, which was overturned on appeal after the 2007 election. He was replaced by Dr McDonald as Labor candidate, who went on to win the seat.
The seat of Wollondilly covers parts of southern Campbelltown, as well as covering Wollondilly Shire. It was created in the 2006 NSW redistribution, and was first won at the 2007 election by former Wollondilly Mayor and Labor candidate Cr Phil Costa.It also fell to the Liberals in 2011
Federal Politics
Campbelltown is divided between two federal electorates, with the northern half of the city being taken in by the Division of WerriwaDivision of Werriwa
The Division of Werriwa is a Federal Electoral Division for the Australian House of Representatives.The name Werriwa derives from a local Aboriginal name for Lake George, which was located in the division when it was established in 1900. The division was one of the original 75 divisions first...
and the southern half of the city being taken in by the Division of Macarthur
Division of Macarthur
The Division of Macarthur is an Australia Federal electoral division covering outer south-west Sydney. Its present boundaries cover the southern suburbs of Campbelltown, all of the local government area of Camden and small parts of Wollondilly. It covers 537 km² and is named after John...
.
Werriwa has been held by the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
for over 70 years, and was held by Leader of the Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
Mark Latham
Mark Latham
Mark William Latham , an author and former Australian politician, was leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from December 2003 to January 2005....
prior to his resignation in early 2005. Following this by-election
Werriwa by-election, 2005
A by-election was held in the Werriwa electorate in south-western Sydney on 19 March 2005, after the resignation of Labor MP Mark Latham, who had represented the electorate since 1994...
in March 2005, Labor's Chris Hayes
Chris Hayes (politician)
Christopher Patrick "Chris" Hayes , Australian Labor Party politician, was elected to the Australian House of Representatives on 19 March 2005 in a by-election for the Division of Werriwa, New South Wales, succeeding former party leader Mark Latham.Hayes was educated at De La Salle College,...
was elected to the House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
.
Macarthur has been traditionally a bellwether
Bellwether
A bellwether is any entity in a given arena that serves to create or influence trends or to presage future happenings.The term is derived from the Middle English bellewether and refers to the practice of placing a bell around the neck of a castrated ram leading his flock of sheep.The movements of...
seat, which shifted northwards into Campbelltown following the 1998 redistribution
Redistribution (Australia)
The term redistribution is used in Australia to mean a redrawing of electoral boundaries. It is equivalent to the term redistricting in the United States....
. While this redistribution made the seat, held at the time by former NSW Liberal Premier John Fahey
John Fahey (politician)
John Joseph Fahey, AC is a former Premier of New South Wales and Federal Minister for Finance in Australia. John Fahey is currently the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1984 to 1996 and the federal House of Representatives...
, notionally Labor, the nomination of former ultra-marathon runner Pat Farmer for the Liberal party helped defeat the Labor Party, and the seat briefly became a safe Liberal seat. At the 2007 Australian Federal Election, however, Farmer suffered a massive swing against him and he retained the seat only narrowly.
It was subsequently won by the Liberals Russell Matheson at the 2010 Federal Election.