As one of the most vibrant, progressive areas of the country, our community has the opportunity to change the agenda – and build the kind of change that lasts.
At the 2015 state election the Newtown electorate was described by ABC Election Analyst Antony Green as “the state's newest, smallest and funkiest electorate.”
The current electorate came about with a redistribution in the lead up to the 2015 election, to accommodate inner Sydney's rapidly growing population. It includes the suburbs Chippendale, Darlington, Enmore, Newtown, Petersham, Redfern and Stanmore, as well as parts of Alexandria, Camperdown, Erskineville, Eveleigh, Lewisham, Marrickville, Surry Hills and Waterloo.
The electorate is divided between the City of Sydney and Inner West Council.
The state seat of Newtown has a history that dates back to the 1800s. It first became a NSW electorate in 1859 and existed in different forms until it was completely abolished in 1953. From 1944 until 1950 it was held by Lillian Fowler, who had made history in NSW as the first female alderman and was the first female mayor in Australia. The Lillian Fowler Reserve on Angel St in Newtown (next to Newtown Primary School) is named in her honour. The federal division of Fowler is also named in recognition of her.
