Can You Help?

This website is in imminent danger of being shut down. It has been online since 1995, but the personal circumstances of the owner, Malcolm Farnsworth, are such that economies have to be made. Server costs and suchlike have become prohibitive. At the urging of people online, I have agreed to see if Patreon provides a solution. More information is available at the Patreon website. If you are able to contribute even $1.00/month to keep the site running, please click the Patreon button below.


Become a Patron!


Kristy McBain (ALP – Eden-Monaro) – Maiden Speech

Aug 31, 2020

Kristy McBain has delivered her first speech to the House of Representatives, following her election as the ALP member for Eden-Monaro at a by-election on July 4, 2020.

McBain

McBain’s maiden speech is the first to be delivered in the House since the imposition of COVID-19 rules. Family members were permitted in the public gallery, but not the usual group of supporters and friends. At the end of her speech, colleagues did not hug her or shake her hand. A few bumped elbows. Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said the ALP gave her “a giant virtual hug”.

McBain, 37, is the former mayor of Bega Valley Shire. In her speech, she described herself as not of “the political class”.

At the by-election held to replace her predecessor, Mike Kelly, McBain polled 35.89% of the primary vote, a fall of 3.28%, in a field of 14 candidates. The Liberal Party candidate, Fiona Kotvojs, polled 38.33% of the primary vote, an increase of 1.32%. The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party polled 5.34%. After preferences were distributed, McBain polled 50.39%, to 49.15% for the Liberals, a swing against the ALP of 0.46%.

Watch McBain’s first speech (29m):
[Read more…]

Filed Under: A.L.P., Audio, By-Elections, House of Reps, Maiden Speeches, Video Tagged With: ,

Mike Kelly (ALP – Eden-Monaro) – Second Maiden Speech

Sep 01, 2016

Mike Kelly, who regained the NSW electorate of Eden-Monaro at the July election, has delivered his second maiden speech to the House of Representatives.

Kelly

Kelly, 56, previously represented the seat from 2007 until 2013. He served as a Parliamentary Secretary in the Gillard government from 2010 and was the Minister for Defence Materiel in the Gillard and Rudd governments in 2013. Prior to entering parliament, he had a long career in the Australian Defence Force as a military lawyer. [Read more…]

Filed Under: A.L.P., Audio, Maiden Speeches, Video Tagged With: , ,

Seats Changing Hands At The 2016 Federal Election

Aug 17, 2016

A total of 19 seats changed hands at the 2016 House of Representatives elections.

The Coalition went into the election holding 90 seats and finished up with 76. It lost 17 (16 to the ALP and one to the Nick Xenophon Team). One seat moved from the Liberal Party to The Nationals. The Liberals won one seat from the ALP.

The ALP went into the election holding 55 seats and ended up with 69. It won 16 from the Coalition, lost one to the Liberals, and lost one to the redistribution in NSW.

As in 2013, there are 5 crossbenchers. The Greens and Katter’s Australian Party retained their seats, whilst the two independents (Wilkie and McGowan) increased their majorities. Clive Palmer did not contest Fairfax and it returned to the LNP. The Nick Xenophon Team took Mayo from the Liberal Party.

The 19 seats that changed hands represent 12.66% of the House. 131 seats (87.33%) did not change hands, demonstrating once again the stability and predictability of Australian voting habits and the narrow range of seats that change governments. In the 2013 election, 22 seats (14.66%) changed hands. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Federal Election, A.L.P., Election Statistics, House of Reps, Liberal National Party, Liberal Party, Palmer United Party, The Nationals, Turnbull Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Which Seats Have Changed Hands So Far In The Federal Election?

Jul 07, 2016

This table shows the House of Representatives seats that have changed hands at the 2016 federal election.

Note: Counting has not concluded. Other seats may be added to this list in coming days. The swing percentages shown below may alter slightly. Details of the latest counting is here.

So far, 16 seats have changed hands. The Liberal/LNP/CLP have lost 13 seats, 11 to the ALP, one to the Nick Xenophon Team (NXT) and one to The Nationals. The ALP has lost one seat to the Liberals.

The Coalition parties went into the election holding 90 seats, the ALP 55, with 5 crossbenchers.

In NSW, the seat of Barton, whilst held by the Liberal Party, was notionally Labor (4.4%), following a redistribution. The seat of Dobell, whilst held by the Liberal Party, was nationally Labor (0.2%). The seat of Paterson, whilst held by the Liberal Party, was notionally Labor (0.4%). [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Federal Election, A.L.P., Election Statistics, House of Reps, Liberal National Party, Liberal Party, The Nationals, Turnbull Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Next Page »