Upper Hunter is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. The seat is currently held by Dave Layzell for the National Party after he was elected at a by-election to replace Michael Johnsen.

Upper Hunter covers the entirety of Dungog Shire, Muswellbrook Shire, Upper Hunter Shire, Singleton Shire, part of the City of Cessnock (including Branxton) and all of the City of Maitland north of the Hunter River.

History

In 1859, Upper Hunter replaced the Electoral district of Phillip, Brisbane and Bligh, established in the first Parliament in 1856. It had two members from 1880 to 1894. It was abolished in 1894 and largely replaced by Robertson and Singleton. In 1904 Robertson was abolished and Upper Hunter was recreated. It was abolished from 1920 with the introduction of proportional representation, but was recreated in 1927.

Upper Hunter is one of three electorates to have never been held by the Labor Party and always by the conservative side of politics since the abolition of proportional representation in 1927, the other two being Tamworth and Oxley. The Nationals have held the district without interruption since 1931.

Members for Upper Hunter

First incarnation 1856–1894 1859–1880, 1 memberMemberPartyTerm  John Robertson None 1859–1861  Thomas Dangar None 1861–1864  James White None 1864–1868  Archibald Bell None 1868–1872  John Creed None 1872–1874  Francis White None 1874–1875  Thomas Hungerford None 1875–1875  John McElhone None 1875–1880

1880–1894, 2 membersMemberPartyTermMemberPartyTerm  John McLaughlin None 1880–1885  John McElhone None 1880–1885 Robert Fitzgerald None 1885–1887  Thomas Hungerford None 1885–1887  1887–1889  John McElhone 1887–1889 1889–1894  William Abbott 1889–1891  Thomas Williams 1891–1894

Second incarnation 1904–1920 1904–1920, 1 memberMemberPartyTerm  William Fleming 1904–1910  William Ashford 1910–1910 Henry Willis 1910–1913  1913–1913 Mac Abbott 1913–1917  1917–1918  William Cameron 1918–1920

Third incarnation 1927–present 1927–present, 1 memberMemberPartyTerm  William Cameron 1927–1931 Malcolm Brown 1931–1932  1932–1939  D'Arcy Rose 1939–1959  Leon Punch 1959–1962  Frank O'Keefe 1962–1969  Col Fisher , 1970–1988  George Souris 1988–2015  Michael Johnsen 2015–2021  Dave Layzell 2021–present

Election results

References