Member for Calare
Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry

John Cobb was first elected to Parliament in 2001 as the Federal Member for Parkes and was returned in 2004 with an increased majority. Following the 2006 redistribution of Federal seats in NSW, John stood for the electorate of Calare as it now held much more of his beloved Central West than his old seat of Parkes.  John Cobb is currently the Federal Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,

John was born at Bathurst and spent his childhood on the family property near Mt Hope. His early employment included a variety of jobs in the agricultural and mining industries which further fuelled his passion for supporting regional people and communities.

Prior to entering Parliament, John cut his political teeth during more than a decade’s involvement inagri-politics, and three years as president of the NSW Farmers’ Association. His frustration at decisions for rural Australians being made in the corridors of the cities furthered his passion for proactive rural-based decision-making.

He has been a vocal advocate for rural health, transport and communications – both infrastructure and services –and has been the driving force behind many medical centres, the Inland Railstudy and moves towards the Bell’s Line of Road Expressway.

During his time in Parliament, John has stood on House of Representatives Standing committees for Environment and Heritage, Publications, Joint Statutory committees for Native Title and the Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander Land Fund, Public Accounts and Audit and Climate Change, Water, Environment and the Arts.

John has also been given several significant positions and portfolios during his presence in Parliament, including being appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Families and Community Services, Assistant Minister for Environment and Water, specifically focussing on essential work to address issues in the Murray Darling Basin, Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Water Security and became the Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in September 2008.

About the Calare electorate

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First proclaimed in 1906 the Calare electorate is named after the Aboriginal name for the Lachlan River.

Under the new 2009 electoral boundaries Calare covers an area of approximately 237,325 sq km from Wattle Flat in the east to the Paroo River, White Cliffs, Wilcannia and Sayers Lake in the west, the New South Wales Queensland border in the north to the Shires of Blayney, Cowra, Weddin, Forbes,Lachlan and parts of Carrathool and Central Darling Shires in the south.

The main towns include Blayney, Bourke, Brewarrina, Canowindra, Cobar, Condobolin, Cowra, Forbes, Grenfell, Hillston, Ivanhoe, Lake Cargelligo, Molong, Narromine, Nyngan, Orange, Parkes, Trangie, Warren, White Cliffs, Wilcannia and Yeoval.

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