Parramatta (NSW)

Ross Cameron (Liberal)

Inner MetropolitanA

Seat Margin: 1.2%

2001 election swing:

 3.5% to Coalition

NSW swing: 

3.4% to Coalition

  Republic 'yes': 48.4r

Read about this graph   

2001 Census Data*

National ranking
(out of 150)

State 
ranking
(out of 50)

Median household income

1080

36

18

Unemployment

6.4%

98

29

Persons aged over 65

12.2%

92

35

Born in NES country

30.1%

13

8

Indulgers of the "Howard's Battlers" fantasy love this western Sydney seat.

The electorate of Parramatta was won by Liberal Ross Cameron in 1996 and retained ever since. QED: Howard has stormed traditional Labor territory.

But Parramatta has been held by the Liberal Party (and its conservative forebears) for 80 of its 102 years (See AEC page). It has never been Labor heartland.

And while the seat contains the suburb of the same name, one ain't typical of the other. At the 2001 election, all booths in the suburb returned Labor two party preferred majorities, aggregating to 57 percent Labor, 43 percent Liberal. Here are the numbers

Parramatta 2001 election results

 Booth formal votes ALP two
party pref%		 Lib two
party pref%

Parra. East

1140

50.28

49.72

Parra. High

645

51.68

48.32

Parra. North

1810

53.52

46.48

Parramatta

2134

67.27

32.73

Macarthur High

1836

54.65

45.35

Noller Pk

510

54.33

45.67

Pitt Row

1043

53.99

46.01

Rowl. Hass.

1076

58.78

41.22

The electorate, on the other hand, is diverse and usually won by the Libs due to strongholds in places like - fittingly enough for today's PM - Winston Heights, Winston Hills and Northmead.

Speaking of Howard, his seat of Bennelong snuggles up to Parramatta. That gives you an idea of its socio-demographics.

If this electorate was called, say, "Winston" it would be seen differently. See also this.

Having said that, the graph shows Liberal stocks have certainly increased in the seat. Click the NSW pendulum link at top of page and compare the state's graph (at left) with Parramatta's. Very similar shapes.

(Note: 1999 redistribution makes '98 appear a Labor win)

 

External links

AEC Member

   ABC (Antony Green)

Poll Bludger

A: AEC socio-demographic  
r: yes vote at 1999 referendum 
* From Parliament House Library