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 Sally Quinnell of the party, who achieved a 13% swing in the 2023 election.
Geography On its current boundaries, Camden takes in the suburbs of Bickley Vale, Camden, Camden Park, Camden South, Catherine Field, Cawdor, Cobbitty, Currans Hill, Elderslie, Ellis Lane, Gledswood Hills, Grasmere, Gregory Hills, Harrington Park, Kirkham, Mount Annan, Narellan, Narellan Vale, Smeaton Grange, and Spring Farm.
History Camden was originally created in 1859, replacing part of West Camden and named after the town of Camden or Camden County, which includes Camden, the Southern Highlands and the Illawarra. It elected two members from 1859 to 1889 and three members from 1889 to 1894, when multi-member electorates were abolished. It was abolished in 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation and absorbed into Cumberland. It was recreated in 1981. In recent decades it has been a marginal seat, falling to both the and parties on separate occasions. Except in 1984-91 and 1995-2003, Camden in its second incarnation, has been held by the government party.
Camden was evident as a bellwether seat at the 1991 election when the ALP lost the seat to the Liberal Party despite the former party making huge gains at that election which was close but not enough for them to win the election. If the ALP had retained Camden in 1991, the party would have been in a strong position to form a minority government when it then won The Entrance by-election in 1992.
Members for Camden First incarnation (1859–1889, 2 members)MemberPartyTermMemberPartyTerm Henry Oxley None 1859–1860 William Wild None 1859–1860John MorriceNone1860–1872 John Douglas None 1860–1861 David Bell None 1861–1864 Richard Roberts None 1864–1869Arthur OnslowNone1869–1880Thomas GarrettNone1872–1887 John Kidd None 1880–1882 William McCourt None 1882–1885 John Kidd None 1885–1887 1887–1889 William McCourt 1887–1889 1889–1894, 3 members Member Party Term Member Party Term Member Party Term Thomas Garrett 1889–1891 William McCourt1889–1894 John Kidd1889–1894 William Cullen 1891–1894 1894–1920, 1 member Member Party Term John Kidd 1894–1895 Charles Bull 1895–1898 John Kidd 1898–1901 1901–1904 Fred Downes 1904–1913 John Hunt 1913–1917 1917–1920 Second incarnation (1981–present, 1 member) Member Party Term Ralph Brading 1981–1984 John Fahey 1984–1988 Peter Primrose 1988–1991 Liz Kernohan 1991–2003 Geoff Corrigan 2003–2011 Chris Patterson 2011–2019 Peter Sidgreaves 2019–2023 Sally Quinnell 2023–present
Election results
References