From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Gippsland by-election, 2008
Gippsland by-election, 2008
McGauran has reportedly lined up a job in the racing
industry with Thoroughbred Breeders Australia.[6]
Candidates
Gippsland (green) within Victoria.
A by-election was held for the Australian House of
Representatives seat of Gippsland on 28 June 2008.[1] It
was triggered by the resignation of National Party MP
Peter McGauran.[2]
The writ for the by-election was issued on 19 May
2008. Nominations closed at 12 noon on 5 June 2008. The
declaration of nominations, including the ballot order,
was revealed the following day, 6 June 2008.[3] The elec-
torate was contested on the same boundaries drawn for
Gippsland at the 2007 federal election.
The by-election saw the National Party retain the seat
with an increased margin, electing candidate Darren Ch- National Party candidate and eventual winner, Darren Chester
ester.
Five candidates contested the by-election. They are listed
Background below in ballot order.[7]
• Australian Greens – Malcolm McKelvie, doctor from
At the 2007 federal election, the opposition Labor Party Yarragon.[8]
defeated the incumbent Liberal-National coalition gov- • Liberal Party of Australia – Rohan Fitzgerald, senior
ernment. This marked the first change of government in manager with the Central Gippsland Health
over 11 years. This meant a transition from the govern- Service.[9] He is based in Traralgon.
ment frontbench to the opposition backbench for several • Liberty and Democracy Party – Ben Buckley, pilot and a
Liberal Party and National Party politicians. It was specu- councillor of East Gippsland Shire Council.[10][11]
lated that a number of former ministers would not serve Buckley is a perennial candidate who contested
out their terms but resign their seats early,[4] and this has Gippsland as an independent in 1984, 1990, 1993,
in fact occurred (McGauran, Alexander Downer and Mark 1996, 2001 and 2007, and as a One Nation candidate
Vaile have all resigned). in 2004.[12] He is based in Benambra.
On 4 April 2008, McGauran became the first former • Australian Labor Party – Darren McCubbin, Mayor of
Howard government minister returned at the 2007 elec- Wellington Shire at the time of nomination but has
tion to announce his resignation. McGauran first won since resigned in order to focus on the campaign.[13]
the seat of Gippsland at the 1983 federal election. He re- He won preselection over Latrobe City Deputy Mayor
tained the seat at every subsequent election. At the 2007 David Wilson.[14] He is based in Sale.
election, McGauran won the seat for the National Par- • National Party of Australia – Darren Chester, chief of
ty by a two-party preferred margin of 55.91% to Labor’s staff to Nationals leader in Victoria Peter Ryan. He
44.09%.[5]
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Gippsland by-election, 2008
won preselection over retired army officer Russell
Smith.[15] He is based in Lakes Entrance.
References
[1] "Gippsland by-election due on June 28". AAP. 5 May
2008. http://news.theage.com.au/gippsland-
A joint Coalition candidate? byelection-due-on-june-28/20080505-2b2r.html.
Following McGauran’s resignation announcement, Craig [2] "McGauran resigns, ’makes way for new blood’".
Ingram, independent Victorian MLA for the seat of Gipp- ABC. 4 April 2008. http://www.abc.net.au/news/
sland East, told reporters that he was considering con- stories/2008/04/04/2207575.htm.
testing the by-election as an independent.[16] Subse- [3] "Date set for Gippsland by-election". AEC. 5 May
quently, Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan made an offer to 2008. http://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/
Ingram to run with the joint endorsement of the Liberal Media_releases/2008/05_06.htm.
and National parties. Heffernan saw this as the first step [4] Tony Wright (8 December 2007). "Byelections
in a potential merger between the two parties. However, galore". The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/
the idea was rejected by both party organisations; and it news/opinion/byelections-galore/2007/12/07/
is doubtful whether Heffernan had the authority to make 1196813015582.html?page=fullpage.
such an offer.[17] Soon after that, Ingram announced that [5] "2007 federal election results – Gippsland".
he would not be running in any capacity. [18] Results.aec.gov.au. 14 December 2007.
http://results.aec.gov.au/13745/Website/
Results HouseDivisionFirstPrefs-13745-213.htm. Retrieved
2010-07-19.
Darren Chester retained the seat for the National Party [6] Mark Davis (2 April 2008). "Decide now, Nelson tells
with an increased margin.[19] MPs pondering future". Sydney Morning Herald.
Gippsland by-election, 2008 http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/decide-
Party Candidate Votes % ±% now-nelson-tells-mps-pondering-future/2008/04/
01/1206850910690.html.
National Darren Ch- 32,971 39.60 -8.77
[7] "Gippsland candidates". Aec.gov.au. 8 June 2007.
ester
http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/
Labor Darren 23,652 28.41 -8.14 supplementary_by_elections/2008_gippsland/
McCubbin candidates.htm. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
Liberal Rohan 17,249 20.72 +20.72 [8] "Candidate for Greens". Latrobe Valley Express. 5
Fitzgerald May 2008. http://latrobevalley.yourguide.com.au/
news/local/general/candidate-for-greens/
Greens Malcolm 5,862 7.04 +1.50
1237397.html.
McKelvie
[9] "Liberals select Gippsland candidate". AAP. 15 April
Liberty and Ben Buckley 3,518 4.23 +4.23 2008. http://news.theage.com.au/liberals-select-
Democracy gippsland-candidate/20080415-26dy.html.
Total formal votes 83,252 97.12 +0.10 [10] "Cr Ben Buckley". Egipps.vic.gov.au. 9 December
Informal votes 2,465 2.88 -0.10 2009. http://www.egipps.vic.gov.au/Page/
Page.asp?Page_Id=788&h=1. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
Turnout 85,717 89.68 -5.98
[11] "Gippsland by-election officially called". ABC. 20
Two-candidate preferred result May 2008. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/
National Darren Ch- 51,611 61.99 +6.08 2008/05/20/2250221.htm.
ester [12] "2008 Gippsland By-election". ABC.
Labor Darren 31,641 38.01 -6.08 http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2008/
McCubbin gippsland/boundaries.htm. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
[13] "Wellington Mayor resigns to stand for by-
National hold Swing +6.08
election". ABC. 5 June 2008.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/05/
See also 2266033.htm.
[14] "Labor to run Mayor in Gippsland". ABC. 18 April
• List of Australian federal by-elections 2008. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/
04/18/2220541.htm.
[15] "Nationals select candidate for Gippsland". Sunday
Herald Sun. 13 April 2008.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/
0,21985,23532188-2862,00.html.
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Gippsland by-election, 2008
[16] Misha Schubert (5 April 2008). "Ingram eyes federal local/general/candidates-jostle-for-byelection/
seat". The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/news/ 1220656.html.
national/ingram-eyes-federal-seat/2008/04/04/ [19] "2008 by-election result – Gippsland".
1207249461199.html. Results.aec.gov.au. 15 July 2008.
[17] "Libs, Nationals reject joint ticket proposal for http://results.aec.gov.au/13813/website/
Gippsland". ABC. 8 April 2007. HouseDivisionFirstPrefs-13813-213.htm. Retrieved
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/08/ 2010-07-19.
2211029.htm.
[18] Kate Lancaster (10 April 2008). "Candidates jostle
for by-election". Latrobe Valley Express.
External links
http://latrobevalley.yourguide.com.au/news/ • ABC Gippsland by-election
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gippsland_by-election,_2008&oldid=441646670"
Categories:
• 2008 elections in Australia
• Victorian federal by-elections
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