2004 Profile of the division of Wakefield

Updated: 30 September 2011

State:

South Australia

Name Derivation:

Named after Edward Gibbon Wakefield 1796–1862, whose theories of colonisation had a great impact on the formation of settlements in Western Australia and South Australia.

Area and Location Description:

Wakefield covers an area of approximately 6 155 sq km from Salisbury in the northern suburbs of Adelaide to Clare in the Clare Valley, 135 km north of Adelaide. The main suburbs include Elizabeth, Salisbury, Craigmore and Munno Para. The towns of Virginia, Gawler, Port Wakefield, Balaklava, Clare, Kapunda, Riverton, Mallala, Freeling and Tarlee are also included in this division.

Map of Division:

Products/Industries of the Area:

The main industries hosted by the northern suburbs of Adelaide include clothing, defence, the Edinburgh RAAF Base, automotive and automotive component manufacturing. General Motors Holden are the major employer of the area and produce Holden cars for Australia and many overseas markets. The rural and agricultural industries include cereal crops, sheep, cattle, market gardens and viticulture (including the renowned Clare Valley wine region). McLeod's Daughters is filmed in and around the towns of Gawler and Freeling.

First Proclaimed/Election:

1903

Demographic Rating:

Rural

Members:

  • FAWCETT, D (LP)–
  • ANDREW, N (LP) 1983–2004
  • GILES, G (LP) 1977–1983
  • KELLY, C R (LP) 1958–1977
  • MCBRIDE, P A M (LP) 1946–1958
  • SMITH, A E (ALP) 1943–1946
  • DUNCAN-HUGHES, J G (UAP) 1940–1943
  • MCHUGH, S (ALP) 1938–1940
  • HAWKER, C A S (NAT/UAP) 1929–1938
  • COLLINS, M (CP) 1928–1929
  • FOSTER, R W (ANTI-SOC/LIB/NAT) 1909–1928
  • HOLDER, F W (PROT/ANTI-SOC) 1903–1909

Current Member Details:

See the Parliament of Australia website

AEC Divisional Office Address:

See Divisional Office Contact Details

2004 Federal Election Results:

  • Enrolment: 90 756
  • Informal Vote: 6.48%
  • Turnout: 94.98%
  • Seat Status: Marginal Liberal
  • Two Party Preferred: LP: 50.67% | ALP: 49.33%

Further information:

For supporting information, see Party Codes, Demographic Ratings and Seat Status.