Division of Richmond
Encyclopedia
The Division of Richmond is an Australian Electoral Division in the state
of New South Wales
. It is located in the far north-east of the state, along the Pacific
coast. It adjoins the Queensland
border to the north, and encompasses the towns of Tweed Heads
, Murwillumbah
and Byron Bay
.
The Division was proclaimed in 1900, and was one of the original 75 divisions to be contested at the first Federal election. Historically, it was traditionally been a rural seat and fairly safe for the National Party
, which held it for all but six years from 1922 to 2004. It was held by three generations of the Anthony family, the first three-generation dynasty in the Australian House of Representatives
. However, strong population growth has seen it progressively lose its rural territory to become a more urbanised coastal division, and demographic change has made the seat marginally Labor
in recent years.
Besides the Anthony family, the division was also held by former Nationals leader Charles Blunt
. His tenure was short-lived, however. Just months after becoming leader of the Nationals, he was thrown from office in the 1990 election when the preferences of anti-nuclear activist Helen Caldicott
allowed Labor challenger Neville Newell
to defeat him despite only winning 27 percent of first preferences. It was only the second time a major party leader had lost his own seat in an election.
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
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...
. It is located in the far north-east of the state, along the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast. It adjoins the Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
border to the north, and encompasses the towns of Tweed Heads
Tweed Heads, New South Wales
Tweed Heads is a town located on the Tweed River in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia in Tweed Shire. Tweed Heads is located next to the border with Queensland, adjacent to the "Twin Town" of Coolangatta, a suburb of the Gold Coast...
, Murwillumbah
Murwillumbah, New South Wales
Murwillumbah is a town of approximately 7,500 people in far north-eastern New South Wales, Australia in the Tweed Shire. It lies on the Tweed River, 848 km north-east of Sydney, 13 km south of the Queensland border and 132 km south of Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Murwillumbah had a...
and Byron Bay
Byron Bay, New South Wales
Byron Bay is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the easternmost point of mainland Australia. At the 2006 Census, the town had a...
.
The Division was proclaimed in 1900, and was one of the original 75 divisions to be contested at the first Federal election. Historically, it was traditionally been a rural seat and fairly safe for the National Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
, which held it for all but six years from 1922 to 2004. It was held by three generations of the Anthony family, the first three-generation dynasty in the Australian 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....
. However, strong population growth has seen it progressively lose its rural territory to become a more urbanised coastal division, and demographic change has made the seat marginally 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...
in recent years.
Besides the Anthony family, the division was also held by former Nationals leader Charles Blunt
Charles Blunt
Charles William Blunt Australian politician and businessman, was leader of the National Party of Australia from 1989 to 1990....
. His tenure was short-lived, however. Just months after becoming leader of the Nationals, he was thrown from office in the 1990 election when the preferences of anti-nuclear activist Helen Caldicott
Helen Caldicott
Helen Mary Caldicott is an Australian physician, author, and anti-nuclear advocate who has founded several associations dedicated to opposing the use of nuclear power, depleted uranium munitions, nuclear weapons, nuclear weapons proliferation, war and military action in general. She hosts a...
allowed Labor challenger Neville Newell
Neville Newell
Neville Joseph Newell is an Australian politician. He served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1990 until 1996 and as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2007....
to defeat him despite only winning 27 percent of first preferences. It was only the second time a major party leader had lost his own seat in an election.
Members
Member | Party | Term | |
---|---|---|---|
Thomas Ewing Thomas Ewing (Australian politician) Sir Thomas Thomson Ewing KCMG was an Australian politician.-Early life:Ewing was born at Pitt Town, New South Wales to clergyman Thomas Campbell Ewing and Elizabeth, née Thomson. Despite an intention to study for the Bar, he joined a surveyor's party at the age of 17, and became a licensed... |
Protectionist Protectionist Party The Protectionist Party was an Australian political party, formally organised from 1889 until 1909, with policies centred on protectionism. It argued that Australia needed protective tariffs to allow Australian industry to grow and provide employment. It had its greatest strength in Victoria and in... |
1901–1909 | |
Commonwealth Liberal Commonwealth Liberal Party The Commonwealth Liberal Party was a political movement active in Australia from 1909 to 1916, shortly after federation.... |
1909–1910 | ||
Walter Massy-Greene | Commonwealth Liberal Commonwealth Liberal Party The Commonwealth Liberal Party was a political movement active in Australia from 1909 to 1916, shortly after federation.... |
1910 Australian federal election, 1910 Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 April 1910. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election... –1916 |
|
Nationalist Nationalist Party of Australia The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime... |
1916–1922 | ||
Roland Green Roland Green (Australian politician) Roland Frederick Herbert Green was an Australian politician. He was the Country Party member for the House of Representatives seat of Richmond from 1922 election until his defeat by Larry Anthony in the 1937 election.... |
Country | 1922 Australian federal election, 1922 Federal elections were held in Australia on 16 December 1922. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Nationalist Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes lost its majority... –1937 |
|
Larry Anthony (senior) Hubert Lawrence Anthony Hubert Lawrence "Larry" Anthony , Australian politician, founded the only three-generation dynasty in the history of the Australian House of Representatives.... |
Country | 1937 Australian federal election, 1937 Federal elections were held in Australia on 23 October 1937. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election... –1957 |
|
Doug Anthony Doug Anthony John Douglas Anthony, AC, CH , is a former Australian politician. He was leader of the National Party from 1971 to 1984, and Deputy Prime Minister from 1971 to 1972 and again from 1975 to 1983.-Early life:... |
Country National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is... |
1957–1975 | |
National Country National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is... |
1975 Australian federal election, 1975 Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1975. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate were up for election following a double dissolution of both Houses.... –1982 |
||
National National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is... |
1982–1984 | ||
Charles Blunt Charles Blunt Charles William Blunt Australian politician and businessman, was leader of the National Party of Australia from 1989 to 1990.... |
National National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is... |
1984 Richmond by-election, 1984 A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Richmond on 18 February 1984. This was triggered by the resignation of National Party Leader MP Doug Anthony... –1990 |
|
Neville Newell Neville Newell Neville Joseph Newell is an Australian politician. He served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1990 until 1996 and as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2007.... |
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... |
1990–1996 | |
Larry Anthony Larry Anthony Lawrence James "Larry" Anthony is a former Australianpolitician. He was a National Party of Australia member of theAustralian House of Representatives representing the Division of Richmond, New South Wales, from the March 1996 election until his defeat in the 2004 election... |
National National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is... |
1996–2004 | |
Justine Elliot Justine Elliot Maria Justine Elliot, MP is an Australian politician who was elected to the House of Representatives as member for the Division of Richmond, New South Wales for the Australian Labor Party at the 2004 federal election.... |
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... |
2004–present |