Paterson (NSW)
Paterson is a federal electoral division in NSW covering 1,034.0 km², currently held by Meryl Swanson (ALP).
Statistics
| Area | 1,034.0 km² |
|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 175,578 |
| Population density | 169.81/km² |
| Median age | 40 |
| Median personal income | $722/week |
| Median household income | $1,494/week |
| Median family income | $1,859/week |
| Median rent | $365/week |
| Median mortgage repayment | $1,733/month |
| Average household size | 2.5 |
| Average persons per bedroom | 0.8 |
Election (2025)
| Enrolment | 127,926 |
|---|---|
| Turnout | 92.76% (+4.39 swing) |
| Informal vote | 8.39% (+3.41 swing) |
| Result (two-candidate-preferred) | Meryl Swanson (ALP) 56.89% (margin 6.9pts) (+4.29 swing) |
| National benchmark (notional Labor v Coalition) | Australian Labor Party 56.89% (margin 6.9pts) (+4.29 swing) |
First preferences, every candidate (★ = elected):
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meryl Swanson ★ | Labor | 40,290 | 37.06% | -2.99pts |
| Laurence Antcliff | Liberal | 29,602 | 27.23% | -10.34pts |
| Philip Penfold | Independent | 10,565 | 9.72% | +9.72pts |
| Arnon Wither | Pauline Hanson's One Nation | 8,254 | 7.59% | -0.29pts |
| Paul Johns | The Greens | 8,219 | 7.56% | -0.11pts |
| Daniel Dryden | Legalise Cannabis Party | 4,223 | 3.88% | +3.88pts |
| Peter N Arena | Trumpet of Patriots | 2,766 | 2.54% | +2.54pts |
| Sandra Lyn Briggs | Family First | 2,205 | 2.03% | +2.03pts |
| Rod Holding | Independent | 1,360 | 1.25% | +1.25pts |
| April Maree Scott | Independent | 1,220 | 1.12% | +1.12pts |
Member
| Member | Meryl Swanson (ALP) |
|---|---|
| Positions held | — |
Voting attendance
82.3% (1,690 of 2,053 possible votes), 0 votes against the party line. Source: They Vote For You.
Expenses claimed, 2025Q03 to 2026Q02
Total: $629,926 over 4 quarters. Source: IPEA, via Political Gadgets' expenses section.
| Employee Travel | $75,515 |
|---|---|
| International Travel | $9,870 |
| Office Facilities | $162,413 |
| Office Administration | $310,047 |
| Other Car Costs | $31,334 |
| Scheduled Commercial Transport | $18,125 |
| Unscheduled Commercial Transport | $0 |
| Travel Allowance | $18,318 |
| Telecommunications | $4,304 |
Clusters
| Position tier | Backbencher |
|---|---|
| Area band | 1,000–10,000 km² |
| State | NSW |
| Urban/rural | Urban/Suburban |
AEC profile · They Vote For You · Meryl Swanson on Political Gadgets
← Back to the full comparison table
Geometry: AEC federal electoral boundaries (2025). Demographics: ABS Data API (Census 2021, CED 2021 boundaries). Election results: AEC 2025 tally room. Expenses: IPEA via indexpenses. Attendance & positions: They Vote For You. See the About popup for licensing and caveats.