2001 Profile of the division of Parkes

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State:

New South Wales

Name Derivation:

Named after Sir Henry Parkes (1815–1896), former Premier of New South Wales and known as the 'Father of Federation' due to his enthusiastic advocacy of the Federation of the Australian colonies.

Area and Location Description:

It covers an area of approximately 268 674 sq km from the Queensland border in the north, Grenfell, West Wyalong, Hillston and Ivanhoe in the south, from Dubbo in the east to the South Australian border in the west.

The main towns include Broken Hill, Cobar, Dubbo, Forbes, Grenfell, Hillston, Narromine, Nyngan, Parkes, Warren and West Wyalong.

Products/Industries of the area:

Mining, pastoral, mixed farming, fruit, timber, irrigation, comprehensive agricultural support services, flour, butter and meat processing, light engineering and construction industries.

First Proclaimed

1984 (There was previously a division with the name of Parkes which existed in the Sydney metropolitan area up until 1967.)

Members

John Cobb (NAT) 2001–

T Lawler (NP) 1998–2001

M Cobb (NP) 1984–98

For Current Members information, browse the Parliament of Australia Members page.

AEC – Divisional Office Contact Numbers and Addresses

Demographic Rating

Rural

3 October 1998 Election	6 November 1999 Referendum	10 November 2001 Election
Enrolment: 79 589 Informal Vote: 2.99% Turnout: 94.88% Seat Status: Marginal National Two Party Preferred: ALP: 45.89% NP: 54.11%	Enrolment: 78 598 Informal Vote: Republic Question 0.76% Preamble Question 0.80% Turnout: Republic Question 95.05% Preamble Question 95.04%	Enrolment: 83 036 Informal Vote: 3.5% Turnout: 95.57% Seat Status: Fairly Safe National Two Party Preferred: ALP: 41.26% LP: 58.74%