Facts and Figures - Youngest Members of the NSW Legislative Assembly

The Legislative Assembly elected in 1859 is said to have had no less than seven Members still in their twenties. There has been a surprising sprinkling of MPs (or MLAs as they were known prior to 1978) who were under thirty when elected. It has not been possible to ascertain exact birth dates for a number of MPs so the information given here is necessarily provisional.

Youngest Member of the Legislative Assembly is believed to be:
Name	Born	Elected on	Electorate	Age
John DILLON	1847	15 December, 1869	The Hunter	22

The following MPs were 23 to 24 when elected:
Name	Born	Elected on	Electorate	Age
William Vandermuelen WILD	4 October, 1834	21 January, 1858	West Camden	24
Charles Stuart FERN	1 October, 1888	2 December, 1911	Cobar	23
Laurence John BRERETON	29 May, 1946	14 February, 1970	Randwick	24
William Bede DALLEY	5 July, 1831	30 December, 1856	Sydney City	24
Frederick Augustus COOPER	August, 1834	20 June, 1859	Braidwood	24
Frank FARNELL	10 September, 1862	12 February, 1887	Central Cumberland	24
Michael Joseph OWEN	13 July, 1962	12 August, 1986	Bass Hill	24

The following MPs were 25-26 years old when elected:
Name	Born	Elected on	Electorate	Age
William Herbert WOOD	4 November, 1869	17 July, 1894	Eden-Bombala	25
William Charles WINDEYER	29 September, 1834	29 June, 1859	Lower Hunter	25
Frank Augustus CHAFFEY	31 March, 1888	20 December, 1913	Tamworth	25
Jack Gordon BEALE	17 July, 1917	14 November, 1942	South Coast	25
Timothy Andrew FISCHER	3 May, 1946	13 February, 1971	Sturt	25
Sir William John McKELL	26 September 1891	24 March, 1917	Redfern	25

The following MPs were aged 26-27 when elected:
Name	Born	Elected on	Electorate	Age
George Dunmore LANG	30 September, 1832	30 June, 1859	The Tumut	26
Samuel Henry TERRY	9 April, 1833	19 December, 1859	Mudgee	26
Charles COWPER	29 September, 1834	1 November, 1860	The Tumut	26
Marshall BURDEKIN	11 April, 1837	29 January, 1863	Liverpool Plains	26
Cecil Bedford TEECE	24 December, 1864	16 August, 1890	Goulburn	26
Angus CAMERON	1847	16 December, 1874	West Sydney	27
Henry John Frederick PETERS	c.1881	10 September, 1907	Deniliquin	26
Arthur William BUCKLEY	16 January, 1891	24 March, 1917	Surry Hills	26
Ross Buchanan FREEMAN	1947	17 November, 1973	Coogee	26
Terence William SHEAHAN	18 August, 1947	17 November, 1973	Burrinjuck	26
Wendy Susan MACHIN	14 October, 1958	12 October, 1985	Gloucester	27
John Gilbert BROGDEN	28 March, 1969	25 May, 1996	Pittwater	27

The following MPs were aged 28-29 when elected:
Name	Born	Elected on	Electorate	Age
Michael PHOTIOS	26 September, 1960	19 March, 1988	Ryde	28
Michael Robert YABSLEY	30 June, 1956	24 March, 1984	Bligh	28
Andrew Charles ZIOLKOWSKI	12 December, 1963	25 May, 1991	Parramatta	28
Robert James Murray OAKESHOTT	14 December, 1967	30 November, 1996	Port Macquarie	28
Graham WEST	21 September 1973	3 February, 2001	Campbelltown	28
Andrew Janes CONSTANCE	31 October 1973	22 March, 2003	Bega	29
Steven John CHAYTOR	19 February 1976	17 September, 2005	Macquarie Fields	29

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