The Division of Werriwa is a Federal Electoral Division for 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....

.

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 contested at the first federal election. At that time, the electorate was a large rural one that stretched from the south west of Sydney

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...

 to the northern part of what is now the ACT

Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...

.

In succeeding years, with demographic change and electoral redistributions, Werriwa began to shrink and from 1913 onwards no longer contained Lake George. In spite of this, and further major changes to its borders that saw it become a south-western Sydney suburban electorate over 150 km away from Lake George, it has retained the name of Werriwa, primarily as it is an original Federation electorate - the Australian Electoral Commission

Australian Electoral Commission

The Australian Electoral Commission, or the AEC, is the federal government agency in charge of organising and supervising federal elections and referendums. State and local government elections are overseen by the Electoral Commission in each state and territory.The Australian Electoral Commission...

's guidelines on electoral redistributions require it to preserve the names of original Federation electorates where possible.

Werriwa now covers an area from Austral

Austral, New South Wales

Austral is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Austral is located 42 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool....

, West Hoxton

West Hoxton, New South Wales

West Hoxton is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. West Hoxton is located 40 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.-History:West Hoxton is an...

, Prestons

Prestons, New South Wales

Prestons is a suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Prestons is located 37 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool.-History:...

, Lurnea

Lurnea, New South Wales

Lurnea is a suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lurnea is located 35 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool.-History:...

 and parts of 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...

 in the north, to Claymore

Claymore, New South Wales

Claymore 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...

 and Minto Heights

Minto Heights, New South Wales

Minto 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....

 in the south, bounded by the Georges River

Georges River

The Georges River is a waterway in the state of New South Wales in Australia. It rises to the south-west of Sydney near the coal mining town of Appin, and then flows north past Campbelltown, roughly parallel to the Main South Railway...

 to the east and generally by the Sydney Water Supply Channel, Raby Road, Rileys Creek, Anthony Road, Barry Avenue and Allenby Road to the west. The main suburbs include Austral, Bardia, Bow Bowing

Bow Bowing, New South Wales

Bow 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....

, Casula

Casula, New South Wales

Casula is a suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Casula is located 35 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool....

, Claymore, Denham Court

Denham Court, New South Wales

Denham 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...

, Edmondson Park

Edmondson Park, New South Wales

Edmondson Park is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Edmondson Park is located 40 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool.-History:...

, Eschol Park

Eschol Park, New South Wales

Eschol 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...

, Glenfield

Glenfield, New South Wales

Glenfield 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...

, Horningsea Park

Horningsea Park, New South Wales

Horningsea Park is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Horningsea Park is located 39 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.-History:In 1819,...

, Hoxton Park

Hoxton Park, New South Wales

Hoxton Park is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Hoxton Park is located 38 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.Hoxton Park also had a small...

, Ingleburn

Ingleburn, New South Wales

Ingleburn 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...

, Leppington

Leppington, New South Wales

Leppington is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Leppington is located 55 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of the City of Liverpool and Camden Council.-History:...

, Lurnea, Macquarie Fields

Macquarie Fields, New South Wales

Macquarie 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...

, Minto

Minto, New South Wales

Minto 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 Heights, Prestons, Raby

Raby, New South Wales

Raby 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:...

, St Andrews

St Andrews, New South Wales

St 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....

 and Varroville

Varroville, New South Wales

Varroville 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...

 and parts of Liverpool, Leumeah

Leumeah, New South Wales

Leumeah 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...

 and West Hoxton.

It is a very safe seat for 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...

, which has held it continuously since 1934 and for all but nine years since 1906.

Werriwa is best remembered for being the electorate (1952-78) of former Prime Minister

Prime Minister of Australia

The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...

 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...

. It was represented from 1994 to 2005 by one of Whitlam's former aides, 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....

, the leader of the ALP and Leader of the Opposition from 2003-2005.

It most recently faced a 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, when 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 with over 55% of the vote, in a 16-candidate race which saw no other candidate poll above 8%.

At the 2010 election Laurie Ferguson became the first new member for Werriwa elected at a general election since 1934.

Members

Member		Party	Term
	Alfred Conroy Alfred Conroy Alfred Hugh Beresford Conroy was an Australian politician. Born in Winchelsea, Victoria, he was educated at Hawthorn Grammar School in Melbourne. Becoming a bank clerk and surveyor, he moved to Goulburn in New South Wales in 1883. In 1893 he became a barrister, and he was an alderman on Goulburn...	Free Trade Free Trade Party The Free Trade Party which was officially known as the Australian Free Trade and Liberal Association, also referred to as the Revenue Tariff Party in some states and renamed the Anti-Socialist Party in 1906, was an Australian political party, formally organised between 1889 and 1909...	1901–1906
	David Hall David Hall (Australian politician) David Robert Hall was an Australian politician.Hall was born in Harrietville, Victoria, and studied law at the University of Sydney before becoming a barrister in 1903...	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...	1906–1912
	Benjamin Bennett Benjamin Bennett Benjamin Holland Bennett was an Australian politician. Born in Young, New South Wales, he was educated at public schools before becoming the manager and editor of the family-run newspaper in Young...	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...	1912–1913
	Alfred Conroy Alfred Conroy Alfred Hugh Beresford Conroy was an Australian politician. Born in Winchelsea, Victoria, he was educated at Hawthorn Grammar School in Melbourne. Becoming a bank clerk and surveyor, he moved to Goulburn in New South Wales in 1883. In 1893 he became a barrister, and he was an alderman on Goulburn...	Commonwealth Liberal Commonwealth Liberal Party The Commonwealth Liberal Party was a political movement active in Australia from 1909 to 1916, shortly after federation....	1913 Australian federal election, 1913 Federal elections were held in Australia on 31 May 1913. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia Andrew Fisher was defeated by the opposition Commonwealth Liberal... –1914
	John Lynch John Lynch (Australian politician) John Lynch was an Australian politician. Born in Young, New South Wales, he received a primary education before becoming a road contractor and dam sinker. He also selected land at Thuddingra. In 1914, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for Werriwa,...	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...	1914 Australian federal election, 1914 Federal elections were held in Australia on 5 September 1914. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 36 seats in the Senate were up for election in a double dissolution... –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...	1916–1918
	Hubert Lazzarini Hubert Lazzarini Hubert Peter Lazzarini was an Australian politician, holding the division of Werriwa as the Australian Labor Party member for most years from 1919 until his death....	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...	1919 Australian federal election, 1919 Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1919. 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 defeated the opposition Australian... –1931
		Lang Labor Australian Labor Party (NSW) The Australian Labor Party , commonly known as Lang Labor, was the name given to a major breakaway of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales that operated from 1931 to 1936....	1931–1931
	Walter McNicoll Walter McNicoll Brigadier General Sir Walter Ramsay McNicoll KBE, CB, CMG, DSO was an Australian teacher, soldier, and colonial administrator.-Early life:...	Country	1931 Australian federal election, 1931 Federal elections were held in Australia on 19 December 1931. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election... –1934
	Hubert Lazzarini Hubert Lazzarini Hubert Peter Lazzarini was an Australian politician, holding the division of Werriwa as the Australian Labor Party member for most years from 1919 until his death....	Lang Labor Australian Labor Party (NSW) The Australian Labor Party , commonly known as Lang Labor, was the name given to a major breakaway of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales that operated from 1931 to 1936....	1934 Australian federal election, 1934 Federal elections were held in Australia on 15 September 1934. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent United Australia Party led by Prime Minister of Australia Joseph Lyons with coalition partner the Country Party led... –1936
		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...	1936–1952
	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...	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...	1952 Werriwa by-election, 1952 A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Werriwa on 29 November 1952. This was triggered by the death of Labor Party MP Hubert Lazzarini.The by-election was won by Labor Party candidate Gough Whitlam.-Results:... –1978
	John Kerin John Kerin John Charles Kerin, AM is an Australian economist and former Australian Labor Party politician.-Career in politics:...	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...	1978–1994
	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....	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...	1994 Werriwa by-election, 1994 A by-election for the Australian House of Representatives division of Werriwa was held on 28 January 1994. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting Labor Party member and former minister John Kerin.... –2005
	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,...	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...	2005 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... –2010
	Laurie Ferguson Laurie Ferguson Laurie Donald Thomas Ferguson , Australian politician, has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1990, representing Reid until 2010 and Werriwa thereafter, both in New South Wales. He was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and grew up in the...	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...	2010–present

Election results