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Griffith By-Election Set For February 8

Jan 06, 2014

The Griffith by-election will be held on February 8, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Bronwyn Bishop, has announced.

The by-election has been caused by the resignation of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who had held the seat since 1998.

Under Section 33 of the Constitution, the Speaker is responsible for the issue of writs for vacancies. The writ will be issued today, with the rolls closing next Monday. Nominations close on January 16.

The by-election will be held the weekend before Parliament resumes for 2014.

The ALP holds the seat with a margin of 3.01%. There was a 5.45% swing against Rudd at last year’s federal election. In 2010, there was a 3.86% swing against Rudd. When Rudd led the ALP into government in 2007 he received 62.32% of the two-party-preferred vote in Griffith. [Read more…]

Filed Under: A.L.P., Abbott, By-Elections, Liberal National Party, Rudd Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Michelle Landry (LNP – Capricornia) – First Speech

Dec 05, 2013

Michelle Landry was first elected as the Liberal National member for Capricornia at the 2013 federal election.

Landry

Landry won the seat after the retirement of the ALP’s Kirsten Livermore who had represented the seat since 1998. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Audio, Liberal Party, Maiden Speeches, Video Tagged With: , , ,

Greens Seek Recount After Scott Ludlam Loses Western Australian Senate Seat

Oct 02, 2013

The Greens have asked for a recount after its one-term Western Australian Senator Scott Ludlam lost his seat today.

LudlamPredictions since election night have held that Ludlam and the Australian Sports Party candidate, Wayne Dropulich, would win the final two seats in WA. However, when the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) computer distributed preferences today, the ALP’s Senator Louise Pratt and the Palmer United Party’s (PUP) Zhenya Wang emerged victorious.

Ludlam’s defeat was caused by a 14 vote difference between Australian Christians and Shooters and Fishers candidates that ensured preferences flowed to the ALP and PUP ahead of the Greens and Sports Party.

Clive Palmer’s party will now have 3 senators after next July. Palmer has won the House of Representatives seat of Fairfax by 7 votes but a recount will begin tomorrow. PUP won 709,076 primary votes – 5.49% – nationally in the House. In the Senate, it won 658,892 votes, or 4.91%. By any measure, this is the most successful performance by a new party since the Australian Democrats won two Senate seats in 1977.

The final result in Western Australia sees the re-election of the Liberal Party’s two senators, David Johnston and Michaelia Cash. However, the Liberals have lost one seat by failing to replace retiring Senator Alan Eggleston.

Aside from incumbent Senator Louise Pratt, the ALP has also elected Joe Bullock. Pratt’s narrow victory reflects the low ALP vote of just 26.59%. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2013 Federal Election, A.L.P., Abbott, Greens, Liberal Party, Palmer United Party, Senate Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Alex Somlyay (Lib – Fairfax) – Valedictory Speech

Jun 24, 2013

Alex Somlyay was first elected as the member for Fairfax at the 1990 federal election.

Fairfax is a non-Labor electorate on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. It has been held by the National Party and the Liberal Party since its creation in 1984. Elected as a Liberal, Somlyay is now a member of the Liberal National Party.

During his 23-year parliamentary career, Somlyay served as Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government from 1997 to 1998.

This is his valedictory speech to the House of Representatives.

Hansard transcript of Alex Somlyay’s valedictory speech to the House of Representatives.

Somlyay

Mr SOMLYAY (Fairfax) (13:31): I say farewell to this House after being a member for over 23 years. That period of time effectively represents a generation. In 1990 I was only the 845th to be elected to this parliament, this House of Representatives, in 89 years. I believe that number is just over 1,000 now. We are a pretty exclusive lot of people honoured to be in this place. It is with some sadness of course I retire. But I am doing so of my own accord and in my own time because I believe in change and renewal. I have been honoured to serve the electorate of Fairfax with its constant and vast boundary changes for those 23 years. I recognise that it is time for fresh blood and time for new ideas. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Liberal National Party, Valedictory Speeches Tagged With: , ,
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