Electoral results for the district of Cobar

Cobar, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales had two incarnations, from 1894 until 1920 and from 1930 until 1968.[1][2][3]

First incarnation (1894–1920)
Election	Member		Party
1894		Thomas Waddell	Protectionist
1895
1898		William Spence	Labour
1901		Donald Macdonell	Labour
1904
1907
1910
Oct 1911 by
Dec 1911 by		Charles Fern	Labour
1913
1917
1918 by		Mat Davidson	Labor
Second incarnation (1930–1968)
Election	Member		Party
1930		Mat Davidson	Labor
1932			Labor (NSW)
1935
1938			Labor / Industrial Labor [lower-alpha 1]
1941			Labor
1944
1947
1949 by		Ernest Wetherell	Labor
1950
1953
1956
1959
1962
1965		Lew Johnstone	Labor

Election results

1965

1965 New South Wales state election: Cobar [5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Lew Johnstone	6,200	45.0	−55.0
	Liberal	Allan Connell	5,174	37.5	+37.5
	Independent	Douglas McFarlane	1,416	10.3	+10.3
	Independent	William Edwards	997	7.2	+7.2
Total formal votes			13,787	97.8
Informal votes			315	2.2
Turnout			14,102	89.6
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Lew Johnstone	7,636	55.4	−44.6
	Liberal	Allan Connell	6,151	44.6	+44.6
	Labor hold		Swing	N/A

1962

1962 New South Wales state election: Cobar [6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Ernest Wetherell	unopposed
	Labor hold		Swing

1959

1959 New South Wales state election: Cobar [7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Ernest Wetherell	unopposed
	Labor hold		Swing

1956

1956 New South Wales state election: Cobar [8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Ernest Wetherell	unopposed
	Labor hold		Swing

1953

1953 New South Wales state election: Cobar [9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Ernest Wetherell	unopposed
	Labor hold		Swing

1950

1950 New South Wales state election: Cobar [10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Ernest Wetherell	8,717	66.4
	Country	Frederick Harding	4,419	33.6
Total formal votes			13,136	98.5
Informal votes			203	1.5
Turnout			13,339	87.0
	Labor hold		Swing

Cobar absorbed the entire district of Sturt, but lost the towns of Bourke and Nyngan to Castlereagh and South Broken Hill and Menindee to the re-constituted Sturt.

1949 by-election

1949 Cobar by-election
Saturday 12 March [11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Ernest Wetherell	6,107	65.3
	Liberal	Harold Campbell	2,235	23.9
	Communist	Hadley McMeekin	1,007	10.8
Total formal votes			9,349	98.1
Informal votes			177	1.9
Turnout			9,526	73.9
	Labor hold		Swing	N/A

The by-election was caused by the death of Mat Davidson (Labor).[12]

1947

1947 New South Wales state election: Cobar [13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Mat Davidson	unopposed
	Labor hold		Swing

1944

1944 New South Wales state election: Cobar [14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Mat Davidson	8,352	78.3	-6.1
	Lang Labor	William Burgess	2,313	21.7	+21.7
Total formal votes			10,665	97.0	0.0
Informal votes			330	3.0	0.0
Turnout			10,995	81.1	-3.3
	Labor hold		Swing	N/A

1941

1941 New South Wales state election: Cobar [15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Mat Davidson	10,003	84.4
	State Labor	David Wight	1,843	15.6
Total formal votes			11,846	97.0
Informal votes			366	3.0
Turnout			12,212	84.4
	Labor hold		Swing

1938

1938 New South Wales state election: Cobar [16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Mat Davidson	unopposed
	Labor hold

1935

1935 New South Wales state election: Cobar [17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor (NSW)	Mat Davidson	7,978	70.3	+10.1
	Federal Labor	Joseph Bowe	3,370	29.7	+18.0
Total formal votes			11,348	96.5	-1.8
Informal votes			408	3.5	+1.8
Turnout			11,756	91.9	-1.0
	Labor (NSW) hold		Swing	N/A

1932

1932 New South Wales state election: Cobar [18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor (NSW)	Mat Davidson	6,729	60.2	-12.2
	Country	Eric Killen	3,137	28.1	+28.1
	Federal Labor	Samuel Bailey	1,306	11.7	+11.7
Total formal votes			11,172	98.3	+1.0
Informal votes			197	1.7	-1.0
Turnout			11,369	92.9	+2.0
	Labor (NSW) hold		Swing	N/A

• Preferences were not distributed.

1930

1930 New South Wales state election: Cobar [19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Mat Davidson	7,645	72.4
	Nationalist	John Lawson	2,750	26.0
	Communist	Edmund Rees	172	1.6
Total formal votes			10,567	97.3
Informal votes			288	2.7
Turnout			10,855	90.9
	Labor win		(new seat)

Cobar was a re-created seat, and comprised part of the districts of Sturt, Lachlan and Namoi. Mat Davidson (Labor) was the member for Murray.

District recreated

1920 - 1930

District abolished

1918 by-election

1918 Cobar by-election
Saturday 11 May [20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Mat Davidson	unopposed
	Labor hold

The by-election was caused by the death of Charles Fern (Labor).[21]

1917

1917 New South Wales state election: Cobar [22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Charles Fern	unopposed
	Labor hold

1913

1913 New South Wales state election: Cobar [23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Charles Fern	3,529	76.0
	Liberal Reform	Maxwell Pahlow	1,114	24.0
Total formal votes			4,643	97.2
Informal votes			134	2.8
Turnout			4,777	47.4
	Labor hold

Cobar was significantly expanded, absorbing most of the abolished district of The Darling, including the town of Bourke.

December 1911 by-election

1911 Cobar by-election
Saturday 2 December [24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Charles Fern	unopposed
	Labour hold

The by-election caused by the death of Donald Macdonell (Labour).[25]

October 1911 by-election

1911 Cobar by-election 1
Saturday 23 September [26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Donald Macdonell	unopposed
	Labour hold

The by-election was required because Donald Macdonell (Labour) had been absent for a full session of parliament.[27]

1910

1910 New South Wales state election: Cobar [28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Donald Macdonell	unopposed
	Labour hold

1907

1907 New South Wales state election: Cobar [29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Donald Macdonell	Unopposed
	Labour hold

1904

1904 New South Wales state election: Cobar [30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Donald Macdonell	1,982	68.8
	Liberal Reform	Richard McNeice	899	31.2
Total formal votes			2,881	99.3
Informal votes			19	0.7
Turnout			2,900	44.7
	Labour hold

Cobar absorbed parts of The Lachlan and parts of the abolished seats of The Barwon, Condoublin and Wilcannia. The member for The Barwon was William Willis (Progressive) who unsuccessfully contested The Darling. The member for Condoublin was Patrick Clara (Labour) who unsuccessfully contested Ashburnum. The member for The Lachlan was James Carroll (Progressive) who unsuccessfully contested that seat. The member for Wilcannia was Richard Sleath (Independent Labour) who also unsuccessfully contested The Darling.

1901

1901 New South Wales state election: Cobar [31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Donald Macdonell	unopposed
	Labour hold

1898

1898 New South Wales colonial election: Cobar [32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Spence	777	50.1
	National Federal	Michael O'Halloran	396	25.5
	Independent Federalist	Richard Machattie	339	21.9
	Independent	Samuel Wood	39	2.5
Total formal votes			1,551	98.0
Informal votes			31	2.0
Turnout			1,582	52.0
	Labour gain from National Federal

The sitting member Thomas Waddell (National Federal) successfully contested Cowra.

1895

1895 New South Wales colonial election: Cobar [33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Protectionist	Thomas Waddell	538	59.5
	Labour	Michael O'Halloran	357	39.5
	Ind. Free Trade	McA Lamrock	9	1.0
Total formal votes			904	99.1
Informal votes			8	0.9
Turnout			912	55.3
	Protectionist hold

1894

1894 New South Wales colonial election: Cobar [34]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Protectionist	Thomas Waddell	615	50.1
	Labour	A Murphy	514	41.9
	Free Trade	Neil Morrison	98	8.0
Total formal votes			1,227	99.0
Informal votes			13	1.1
Turnout			1,240	75.3
	Protectionist win		(new seat)

Cobar consisted of part of Bourke and parts of the abolished districts of The Bogan and Forbes.[35][36] Thomas Waddell (Protectionist) was one of the members for Bourke.

Notes

1. Mat Davidson joined the Industrial Labor Party in April 1939,[4] The Industrial Labor Party was readmitted into Labor at the unity conference on 26 August 1939.

References

1. Green, Antony. "Elections for the District of Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
2. "Part 5B alphabetical list of all electorates and Members since 1856" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
3. "Former Members". Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
4. "M.L.A. joins Heffron Labor". Tweed Daily. 31 May 1939. p. 5. Retrieved 5 April 2018 – via Trove.
5. Green, Antony. "1965 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
6. Green, Antony. "1962 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
7. Green, Antony. "1959 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
8. Green, Antony. "1956 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
9. Green, Antony. "1953 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
10. Green, Antony. "1950 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
11. Green, Antony. "1949 Cobar by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
12. "Mr Mark Anthony Davidson (1869-1949)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
13. Green, Antony. "1947 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
14. Green, Antony. "1944 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
15. Green, Antony. "1941 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
16. Green, Antony. "1938 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
17. Green, Antony. "1935 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
18. Green, Antony. "1932 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
19. Green, Antony. "1930 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
20. Green, Antony. "1918 Cobar by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
21. "Mr Charles Stuart Fern (1884-1918)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
22. Green, Antony. "1917 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
23. Green, Antony. "1913 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
24. Green, Antony. "December 1911 Cobar by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
25. "Mr Donald Macdonell (1862-1911)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
26. Green, Antony. "October 1911 Cobar by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
27. "Writ of election: Cobar". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales (126). 14 September 1911. p. 5063. Retrieved 27 August 2020 – via Trove.
28. Green, Antony. "1910 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
29. Green, Antony. "1907 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
30. Green, Antony. "1904 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
31. Green, Antony. "1901 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
32. Green, Antony. "1898 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
33. Green, Antony. "1895 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
34. Green, Antony. "1894 Cobar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
35. "Maps and sketches of proposed Electoral Districts". New South Wales Government Gazette. 23 August 1893. p. 6583. Retrieved 12 April 2020 – via Trove.
36. "Proclamation: names and boundaries of electoral districts". New South Wales Government Gazette. 5 October 1893. p. 7751. Retrieved 12 April 2020 – via Trove.