2012 Melbourne state by-election explained

A by-election was held for the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Melbourne on Saturday 21 July 2012. This was triggered by the resignation of former minister and state Labor MLA Bronwyn Pike which she announced on 7 May 2012.[1] [2] [3]

Sixteen candidates contested the by-election, the Liberals declined to nominate a candidate. Jennifer Kanis retained the seat for Labor with a 51.5 per cent (–4.7) two-candidate-preferred vote against Greens candidate Cathy Oke.

Dates

DateEvent[4]
28 May 2012Writ of election issued by the Governor
4 June 2012Close of electoral rolls
21 June 2012Close of party nominations
22 June 2012Close of independent nominations, ballot paper order draw conducted
25 June 2012Early voting began
21 July 2012Polling day, between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm

Background

The federal seat of Melbourne held by Labor was won by the Greens at the August 2010 federal election, where the Liberals preferenced the Greens ahead of Labor. At the November 2010 Victorian state election where the Liberals preferenced Labor ahead of the Greens, the Liberal/National Coalition won 45 seats and Labor won 43 seats in the 88-seat Legislative Assembly, resulting in a one-seat majority for the incoming Coalition government. Labor retained the state seat of Melbourne on a 56.2 per cent two-candidate-preferred vote against the Greens and a 64.4 per cent two-party-preferred vote against the Liberals. On the primary vote, Labor won 35.7 per cent, the Greens won 31.9 per cent, the Liberals won 28.0 per cent, and four other candidates won a combined 4.4 per cent.[5] With the Liberals declining to field a candidate, there was an increased chance of the seat changing hands due to changed preference flows, such as at the 2002 Cunningham by-election (Federal) and the 2009 Fremantle by-election (WA State).[6] [7] [8] [9]

Due to the voting patterns to the Greens across jurisdictions, this state by-election, unusually received national attention.[10]

Candidates

The 16 candidates in ballot paper order were as follows:

Candidate nominations[11]
 IndependentBerhan AhmedFormer Labor and Green member, Eritrean-born chairman of the African Think Tank, 2009 Victorian Australian of the Year.[12] [13]
 Family First PartyAshley FennVictorian Director of Family First, and chairman of not-for-profit housing company Ethan Affordable Housing.[14] [15]
 IndependentSelf-described constitutionalist and serial candidate.[16]
 IndependentDavid NolteLiberal Party member and former Melbourne City Councillor (1988 - 93), ran on a "small-l liberal" platform.[17] [18] [19]
 IndependentJohn PerkinsCandidate for the unregistered Secular Party of Australia, and party president.[20]
 Labor PartyJennifer KanisMelbourne City Councillor and anti-discrimination lawyer.[21]
 IndependentDavid CollyerCandidate for the unregistered Australian Democrats. Campaign manager for Prosper Australia and Democrats candidate for the federal seat of Melbourne in 2010.[22]
 IndependentPatrick O'ConnorCandidate for the unregistered Socialist Equality Party. Member of the party's National Committee and contributor to the World Socialist Web Site.[23]
 Michael MurphyGraphic arts designer and businessman,[24] and Victorian party secretary.[25]
 IndependentJoseph ToscanoAnarchist campaigner and serial candidate.[26]
 IndependentStephen MayneFormer Liberal Party staffer, founder of independent news website Crikey, and Manningham City Councillor. Ran on an anti-pokies platform, endorsed by independent Senator Nick Xenophon.[27] [28]
 IndependentKate BorlandPublic housing advocate.[29]
 IndependentAdrian WhiteheadClimate change activist, former Greens member and election candidate.
 Australian Sex PartyFiona PattenParty president and Eros Association CEO.[30]
 Australian GreensCathy OkeMelbourne City Councillor and scientist.[31]
 Australian ChristiansMaria BengtssonNo information available.

Polling

Preferences

How-to-vote cards (HTVs) had six candidates recommending voters to preference Labor over the Greens: Ahmed, Family First, Nolte, the DLP, the Sex Party, and the Christians. Six candidates recommended voters preference the Greens over Labor: Perkins, Collyer, Toscano, Mayne, Borland, and Whitehead. Not recommending preferences were Schorel-Hlavka and O'Connor.[34]

Results

|-| |  | style="text-align:left;"| Independent Liberal| style="text-align:left;"| David Nolte| style="text-align:right;"| 1,302| style="text-align:right;"| 4.66| style="text-align:right;"| +4.66|-

|-| |  | style="text-align:left;"| Independent Socialist Equality| style="text-align:left;"| Patrick O'Connor| style="text-align:right;"| 162| style="text-align:right;"| 0.58| style="text-align:right;"| +0.58|-

|-| |  | style="text-align:left;"| Independent Democrat| style="text-align:left;"| David Collyer| style="text-align:right;"| 160| style="text-align:right;"| 0.57| style="text-align:right;"| +0.57|-

|-| |  | style="text-align:left;"| Independent Secular| style="text-align:left;"| John Perkins| style="text-align:right;"| 162| style="text-align:right;"| 0.58| style="text-align:right;"| +0.58|-

Almost two-thirds of preferences went to Labor over the Greens. The two-candidate vote remained level during the polling booth count, however the postal vote count favoured Labor and put the result beyond doubt. The Greens conceded defeat on 24 July. The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) officially declared that Labor had retained the seat on 25 July. Results were final as of 31 July.[35] [36]

External links

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Melbourne by-election set for July 21 . ABC News . abc.net.au . 2012-05-22 . 2012-06-14.
  2. News: Pike quits, triggering Vic by-election . News.smh.com.au . 2012-05-07 . 2012-06-14.
  3. News: Byelection looms as veteran Labor MP quits . Theage.com.au . 2012-05-07 . 2012-06-14 . Melbourne.
  4. Web site: 2012 Melbourne by-election dates . Vec.vic.gov.au . 2012-06-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120606030253/http://www.vec.vic.gov.au/current/MelbourneDistrictByElection.html . 6 June 2012 . dead .
  5. Web site: Melbourne District State Election 2010 . Vec.vic.gov.au . 2012-06-14.
  6. Web site: Pike resignation 'leaves path open for Greens' . Sl.farmonline.com.au . 2012-05-08 . 2012-06-14.
  7. Web site: Candidates step up to replace Pike . https://archive.today/20120717124445/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8464084/candidates-step-up-to-replace-pike . dead . 2012-07-17 . News.ninemsn.com.au . 2012-06-14 .
  8. News: The battle for Melbourne . Theage.com.au . 2012-05-13 . 2012-06-14.
  9. News: Greens tipped to win Melbourne by-election: ABC News 21 July 2012 . ABC News . Abc.net.au . 21 July 2012. 2012-07-22.
  10. Web site: Melbourne (State) by-election: July 21 – the Poll Bludger.
  11. Web site: Melbourne District By-election 2012 Nominations . Vec.vic.gov.au . 2012-06-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120629134718/http://vec.vic.gov.au/current/StateBy2012candidatesMelbourneDistrict.html . 29 June 2012 . dead .
  12. News: Boats leave fellow Africans stranded . The Australian . 2012-07-19.
  13. Web site: Dr. Berhan Ahmed Victorian Australian of the Year 2009 . Att.org.au . 2012-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120702172820/http://www.att.org.au/berhan2009.html . 2 July 2012 . dead .
  14. Web site: Family First states contrast in stance from Australian Christians towards Muslim communities . Au.christiantoday.com . 2012-07-22.
  15. Web site: Family First : Victoria . Vic-familyfirst.org.au . 2012-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120717172641/http://www.vic-familyfirst.org.au/ashley-fenn/ . 17 July 2012 . dead .
  16. Web site: Melbourne byelection: Veteran campaigner Gerrit Hendrik Schorel-Hlavka has another crack - Local News - News - General . https://archive.today/20121230213122/http://www.melbournetimesweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/melbourne-byelection-veteran-campaigner-gerrit-hendrik-schorelhlavka-has-another-crack/2611634.aspx . dead . 2012-12-30 . Melbourne Times Weekly . 2012-07-03 . 2012-07-22.
  17. Web site: Hingston . Chris . Melbourne byelection: Tunnel would 'increase traffic' - Local News - News - General . https://archive.today/20121230142128/http://www.melbournetimesweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/melbourne-byelection-tunnel-would-increase-traffic/2618268.aspx?storypage=2 . dead . 2012-12-30 . Melbourne Times Weekly . 2012-07-10 . 2012-07-22 .
  18. Web site: Policies . https://archive.today/20121231070337/http://www.nolte.com.au/index_files/Page315.htm . dead . 2012-12-31 . Nolte.com.au . 2012-07-22 .
  19. Web site: Home . Nolte.com.au . 2012-07-22 .
  20. Web site: Secular Party of Australia . Secular.org.au . 2012-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120628203447/http://www.secular.org.au/index.php . 28 June 2012 . dead .
  21. Web site: Councillor Jennifer Kanis - City of Melbourne . Melbourne.vic.gov.au . 2012-06-08 . 2012-07-22.
  22. Web site: David Collyer Contests Melbourne Byelection for Democrats | . David-collyer.vic-democrats.org.au . 2012-06-25 . 2012-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130409202327/http://david-collyer.vic-democrats.org.au/2012/06/25/david-collyer-contests-melbourne-byelection-for-democrats/ . 9 April 2013 . dead .
  23. Web site: Socialist Equality Party (Australia) launches Melbourne by-election campaign . Wsws.org . 2012-06-15 . 2012-07-22.
  24. Web site: Melbourne District by-election | Democratic Labor Party . Dlp.org.au . 2012-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120724034512/http://www.dlp.org.au/melbourne-district-by-election/ . 24 July 2012 . dead .
  25. Web site: Victoria. 2012-08-09.
  26. News: Greens on fertile ground . The Australian . 2012-07-20.
  27. Web site: Benson . Eugene . Melbourne byelection: Stephen Mayne to stand - Local News - News - General . https://archive.today/20121231051005/http://www.mooneevalleyweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/melbourne-byelection-stephen-mayne-to-stand/2578807.aspx . dead . 2012-12-31 . Moonee Valley Weekly . 2012-06-04 . 2012-07-22 .
  28. Web site: Stephen Mayne running for Senate on anti-pokies and pro-immigration platform: The Mayne Report 18 August 2010 . Maynereport.com . 2012-07-22.
  29. News: Josh Gordon . ALP accuses Greens of 'grubby deals' . Theage.com.au . 2012-07-12 . 2012-07-22 . Melbourne.
  30. Web site: Melbourne byelection: Sex Party won't door-knock - Local News - News - General . https://archive.today/20121231012229/http://www.mooneevalleyweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/melbourne-byelection-sex-party-wont-doorknock/2601390.aspx . dead . 2012-12-31 . Moonee Valley Weekly . 2012-06-26 . 2012-07-22 .
  31. Web site: Cathy Oke for Melbourne . Cathyoke.com . 2012-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120724074514/http://www.cathyoke.com/ . 24 July 2012 . dead .
  32. Web site: 2012 Melbourne state by-election poll . Roymorgan.com . 2012-06-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120615184824/http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2012/4791/ . 15 June 2012 . dead .
  33. Web site: Preferences the key for The Greens in the Melbourne by-election: ReachTel 18 July 2012 . Reachtel.com.au . 2012-07-18 . 2012-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120722034800/http://www.reachtel.com.au/blog/preferences-the-key-for-greens-in-melbourne-by-election . 22 July 2012 . dead .
  34. Web site: 2012 Melbourne by-election HTVs: VEC website . Vec.vic.gov.au . 2012-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120629134042/http://vec.vic.gov.au/current/StateBy2012HTVCMelbourneDistrict.html . 29 June 2012 . dead .
  35. https://twitter.com/electionsvic Victorian Electoral Commission on Twitter (@electionsvic)
  36. News: Tom Arup . Greens concede byelection despite 'best-ever' campaign . Theage.com.au . 2012-07-16 . 2012-07-25 . Melbourne.

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