Division of Calare

The Division of Calare is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was first contested at the 1906 election (it was created to replace the abolished Division of Canobolas) and is named for the local Aboriginal name for the Lachlan River, part of which was in the Division on its original boundaries. (The name should be pronounced Kal-ah-ree, but the pronunciation Kul-air is established.)

As of the 2006 redistribution, Calare takes in Forbes, Orange, Parkes, Cowra, Grenfell and the vast north-west of New South Wales, stretching from Brewarrina to Menindee. Calare is now New South Wales's largest electorate. Calare is held by National Party representative John Cobb since the 2007 election. Cobb had previously represented the Division of Parkes, parts of which were redistributed into Calare in 2006. The 2009 redistribution of NSW once again changed the boundaries of Calare, as the electorate shifted its boundaries further east to cover the areas Bathurst and Lithgow.^[1]. The changes will take effect at the Next Australian federal election.

The division originally encompassed Forbes, Orange and Parkes. Subsequent boundary changes moved it eastwards and until the 2006 redistribution the cities of Bathurst, Lithgow and Oberon (now in the neighbouring Macquarie) were part of the electorate. On these boundaries it was a marginal seat between the Australian Labor Party (which held it 1983-96) and the National Party, but it was held comfortably by an independent, Peter Andren, from 1996 to 2007. Andren was not a candidate for the 2007 election: he intended to run for a Senate seat but was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and died during the election campaign.^[2]

Members

Election results

References

• Psephos: Adam Carr's Election Archive
• The Poll Bludger
• Australian Electoral Commission