Electoral district of Gaven
Encyclopedia
The district of Gaven is an electoral district
of the Legislative Assembly
in the Australia
n state of Queensland
. It was created out of the former district of Nerang and the southern segment of Albert
in the 2001 redistribution, and is based around the northern growth corridor of the Gold Coast
. The current Member of Parliament is Alex Douglas
.
(commonly known as Sir Joh
's "Minister for Everything"), and was contested for the conservative National Party of Australia
by the incumbent member for Albert, Bill Baumann
, at the 2001 election. However, amidst a statewide landslide victory for the Australian Labor Party
, the seat fell to union organiser Robert Poole with a 14.6% swing. The National Party agreed to let their coalition partner, the more urban Liberal Party of Australia
contest the seat at the 2004 election, and though they nominated former Gold Coast mayor Ray Stevens
, Poole was returned with only a slight swing against him.
Poole became the subject of increasing controversy during his second term, as he spent most of his term out of the state, living with his family in Thailand
. This reached its peak in 2006, when Poole revealed that he intended to spend the first half the year in Thailand while he recovered from surgery. A furious Premier Peter Beattie
demanded that Poole return or face having his seat formally declared vacant, and Poole reluctantly stepped down in late February.
Facing a highly winnable by-election
, the Coalition made the decision to allow the National Party to contest the seat, which bemused some observers, who noted that the party had only polled 2% for the Senate in Gaven's federal booths at the 2004 federal election.
The 2006 state election saw Alex Douglas and Phil Gray once again running against each other, with the Queensland Greens being represented by Glen Ryman. Phil Gray won the seat by an 8% swing, with an absolute majority of primary votes.
The 2009 state election
saw Douglas and Gray pitted against each other for the third consecutive time. On this occasion, Douglas, running under the banner of the newly formed Liberal National Party, narrowly emerged as the victor.
Queensland Legislative Assembly electoral districts
This is a list of current and former electoral divisions for the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, the state legislature for Queensland, Australia.-Districts in Far North Queensland:*Barron River*Cairns*Cook*Mulgrave*Dalrymple...
of the Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. It was created out of the former district of Nerang and the southern segment of Albert
Electoral district of Albert
The electoral district of Albert is a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Queensland. Albert is named for the Albert River, which runs through the electorate and separates Logan City from Gold Coast City...
in the 2001 redistribution, and is based around the northern growth corridor of the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
. The current Member of Parliament is Alex Douglas
Alex Douglas (politician)
Dr Alexander Rodney Douglas is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal National Party member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly since 2009, representing the district of Gaven...
.
History
Gaven was created as a notionally conservative seat, part of the old South Coast seat held for 14 years by Russ HinzeRuss Hinze
The Hon. Russell James "Russ" Hinze , born in Oxenford on the Gold Coast, was a Queensland politician in the 1970s and 1980s. He presided over an era of controversy that included the setting up of the Racing Development Fund, ministerial rezonings and the licensing of Jupiters Casino...
(commonly known as Sir Joh
Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Sir Johannes "Joh" Bjelke-Petersen, KCMG , was an Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived Premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, a period that saw considerable economic development in the state...
's "Minister for Everything"), and was contested for the conservative National Party of Australia
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
by the incumbent member for Albert, Bill Baumann
Bill Baumann
William Francis "Bill" Baumann is a former Australian politician. He was the National Party member for Albert in the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 1995 to 2001....
, at the 2001 election. However, amidst a statewide landslide victory for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, the seat fell to union organiser Robert Poole with a 14.6% swing. The National Party agreed to let their coalition partner, the more urban Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
contest the seat at the 2004 election, and though they nominated former Gold Coast mayor Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens (politician)
Raymond Alexander Stevens, MP is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal/Liberal National Party member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly since 2006.Born in Townsville, Stevens is married with two children...
, Poole was returned with only a slight swing against him.
Poole became the subject of increasing controversy during his second term, as he spent most of his term out of the state, living with his family in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. This reached its peak in 2006, when Poole revealed that he intended to spend the first half the year in Thailand while he recovered from surgery. A furious Premier Peter Beattie
Peter Beattie
Peter Douglas Beattie , Australian politician, was the 36th Premier of the Australian state of Queensland for nine years and leader of the Australian Labor Party in that state for eleven and a half years...
demanded that Poole return or face having his seat formally declared vacant, and Poole reluctantly stepped down in late February.
Facing a highly winnable by-election
Gaven state by-election, 2006
A by-election was held for the Queensland Legislative Assembly district of Gaven on 1 April 2006. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting Labor member Robert Poole....
, the Coalition made the decision to allow the National Party to contest the seat, which bemused some observers, who noted that the party had only polled 2% for the Senate in Gaven's federal booths at the 2004 federal election.
The 2006 state election saw Alex Douglas and Phil Gray once again running against each other, with the Queensland Greens being represented by Glen Ryman. Phil Gray won the seat by an 8% swing, with an absolute majority of primary votes.
The 2009 state election
Queensland state election, 2009
The Queensland state election was held to elect members to the unicameral Parliament of Queensland on 21 March 2009. The election saw the incumbent Labor government led by Premier Anna Bligh defeat the Liberal National Party of Queensland led by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, and gain a...
saw Douglas and Gray pitted against each other for the third consecutive time. On this occasion, Douglas, running under the banner of the newly formed Liberal National Party, narrowly emerged as the victor.
Members for Gaven
| Member | Party | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Poole | Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
2001—2006 Gaven state by-election, 2006 A by-election was held for the Queensland Legislative Assembly district of Gaven on 1 April 2006. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting Labor member Robert Poole.... |
|
| Alex Douglas Alex Douglas (politician) Dr Alexander Rodney Douglas is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal National Party member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly since 2009, representing the district of Gaven... |
National National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is... |
2006 Gaven state by-election, 2006 A by-election was held for the Queensland Legislative Assembly district of Gaven on 1 April 2006. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting Labor member Robert Poole.... —2006 |
|
| Phil Gray Phil Gray (Australian politician) Philip Roy Gray is an Australian politician. He was a Labor member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2009.... |
Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
2006—2009 Queensland state election, 2009 The Queensland state election was held to elect members to the unicameral Parliament of Queensland on 21 March 2009. The election saw the incumbent Labor government led by Premier Anna Bligh defeat the Liberal National Party of Queensland led by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, and gain a... |
|
| Alex Douglas Alex Douglas (politician) Dr Alexander Rodney Douglas is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal National Party member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly since 2009, representing the district of Gaven... |
Liberal National | 2009 Queensland state election, 2009 The Queensland state election was held to elect members to the unicameral Parliament of Queensland on 21 March 2009. The election saw the incumbent Labor government led by Premier Anna Bligh defeat the Liberal National Party of Queensland led by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, and gain a... —present |
|
Election results
External links
- Electorate Profile (Antony Green, ABC)
- 7 March Beattie announces Gaven by-election
- 9 March ALP candidate confident of Gaven win
- 1 April Labor hasn't given up by-election
- 1 April By-election unwinnable: Beattie