State New South Wales MP Tamara Smith Member of parliament Tamara Smith Namesake Ballina | Dates current 1894–1904
1988–present Demographic Rural Date dissolved 1904 Party Australian Greens | |
Area 1,059.16 km (408.9 sq mi) | ||
Ballina is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales.
History
Ballina was originally created in 1894, when the three-member electorate of Richmond was divided into Richmond, Lismore and Ballina. In 1904, Ballina was replaced by Byron. In 1988, a recreated Ballina and Murwillumbah replaced Byron.
The 2004 redistribution of electoral districts estimated that the electoral district would have 47,246 electors on 29 April 2007. At the 2007 election it encompassed all of Ballina Shire (including Ballina, Alstonville, Lennox Head and Wollongbar) and most of the populated areas of Byron Shire (including Byron Bay, Mullumbimby, Ocean Shores, Suffolk Park, Brunswick Heads, South Golden Beach and Bangalow).
The 2013 NSW state electoral redistribution once again changed the boundaries of the electorate, so at the next election it would comprise the entire shires of Ballina, and Byron.
The Greens won the seat of Ballina at the 2015 state election, bringing their lower house representation to three seats. It became the first rural seat in any Australian parliament to be won by the Greens.