Paterson
Federal electorate · New South Wales
The electoral division is jointly named in honour of: Colonel William Paterson, 1755–1810. Paterson was a solider and botanist who served as Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony of New South Wales (1794–95, 1800–1808 and 1809). The town and river are named after Paterson, and Andrew Barton 'Banjo' Paterson CBE, 1864–1941. Paterson was a journalist, war correspondent and poet whose many works include 'The Man from Snowy River'.
Covers: The Division of Paterson consists of: part of the Cessnock City Council, part of the Lake Macquarie City Council, part of the Maitland City Council, part of the Newcastle City Council, and part of the Port Stephens Council.
| Enrolled voters | 127,926 |
|---|---|
| Area | 948 sq km |
| Demographic rating | Provincial – outside capital cities, but with a majority of enrolment in major provincial cities. |
| Established | 11 May 1949 |
| Name first used | 1949 federal election Note: The name 'Paterson' was retired for the 1984 federal election and was resurrected for the 1993 federal election, at which time it was jointly named. |
| Boundary gazetted | 10 October 2024 |
Current member
2025 federal election: two-candidate preferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meryl Swanson ✓ | Labor | 61,841 | 56.89 | +4.29 |
| Laurence Antcliff | Liberal | 46,863 | 43.11 | -4.29 |
2025 federal election: first preferences
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meryl Swanson ✓ | Labor | 40,290 | 37.06 | -2.99 |
| Laurence Antcliff | Liberal | 29,602 | 27.23 | -10.34 |
| Philip Penfold | Independent | 10,565 | 9.72 | +9.72 |
| Arnon Wither | Pauline Hanson's One Nation | 8,254 | 7.59 | -0.29 |
| Paul Johns | The Greens | 8,219 | 7.56 | -0.11 |
| Daniel Dryden | Legalise Cannabis Party | 4,223 | 3.88 | +3.88 |
| Peter N Arena | Trumpet of Patriots | 2,766 | 2.54 | +2.54 |
| Sandra Lyn Briggs | Family First | 2,205 | 2.03 | +2.03 |
| Rod Holding | Independent | 1,360 | 1.25 | +1.25 |
| April Maree Scott | Independent | 1,220 | 1.12 | +1.12 |
| Informal ballots | 9,957 | 8.39 | +3.41 | |
Candidate percentages are of formal votes; the informal share is of all ballots cast.
Results at each election
| Election | Elected | Party | Two-candidate % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 federal election | Meryl Swanson | Labor | 56.89 |
| 2022 federal election | Meryl Swanson | Labor | 53.31 |
| 2019 federal election | Meryl Swanson | Labor | 55.04 |
| 2016 federal election | Meryl Swanson | Labor | 60.74 |
| 2013 federal election | Bob Baldwin | Liberal | 59.78 |
| 2010 federal election | Bob Baldwin | Liberal | 55.33 |
| 2007 federal election | Bob Baldwin | Liberal | 51.51 |
| 2004 federal election | Bob Baldwin | Liberal | 56.97 |
Every contest for a division of this name since 2004, each on the boundaries in force at the time. The two-candidate figure is the winner's share of the final count.
Election figures and profile © Commonwealth of Australia (AEC), CC BY 4.0. Date established from the Parliamentary Handbook. ✓ marks the elected candidate.