2014 Redcliffe state by-election

A by-election for the Queensland Legislative Assembly seat of Redcliffe took place on 22 February 2014.[1] Yvette D'Ath won the seat for Labor.[2]

Background

The Liberal Nationals had won Redcliffe from Labor at the 2012 election with 60 percent of the two-party vote from a 15.7-point two-party swing compared to the statewide two-party swing of 13.7 points.[3]

On 25 March 2013, sitting MP Scott Driscoll was suspended from the Liberal Nationals due to allegations of financial improprieties.[4] He resigned from the party the following month and subsequently sat as an independent.[5]

Driscoll was the subject of complaints of official misconduct referred to the Crime and Misconduct Commission in November 2012, followed by complaints of fraud to the Queensland Police.[6][7] It was alleged that he secretly controlled the taxpayer-funded Moreton Bay Regional Community Association and had funnelled $2600 in consultancy fees each week to his wife. It was also claimed that he used his electorate office to continue his work with the Queensland Retail Traders and Shopkeepers Association, and that his wife had a contract with the retailers' body worth $350,000 a year.[4] His home was raided by the CMC in May 2013.[8]

The allegations were referred to the Queensland Parliament Ethics Committee in June 2013.[9] On 19 November 2013, Driscoll was found guilty of 42 counts of Contempt of Parliament, four counts of failing to register interests and one count of misleading the House. The Parliament of Queensland Ethics Committee recommended that he be fined $90,000 and that the House vote to expel him from Parliament and declare the seat of Redcliffe vacant. He resigned from Parliament later that day, citing health reasons.[10] However, both major parties had indicated they would support an expulsion motion, making Driscoll's removal from the legislature all but certain.[11]

Premier Campbell Newman announced the 22 February 2014 election date on 13 January 2014.[1] The writ for the election was issued on 28 January 2014. Electoral rolls closed 5pm 3 February 2014, candidate nominations closed midday 13 February 2014 with declaration of candidate nominations and ballot order draw occurring shortly after.[12][13]

Nominations

The nine candidates in ballot paper order were as follows:[3][14]

Candidate nominations
Party Candidate Background
  Independent Andrew Tyrrell [3]
  Family First Party Sally Vincent Contested state seat of Sandgate in 2006, state seat of Murrumba in 2009 and 2012 and federal seat of Petrie in 2010.[3]
  Independent Len Thomas Former police officer and Moreton Bay Regional Community Association member.[3] Endorsed by United Australia (Palmer) MP Alex Douglas.[15]
  Queensland Greens John Marshall Contested federal seat of Petrie at the 2013 federal election.[3]
  Independent Gabriel Buckley Civil libertarian.[16] Ran as an independent Liberal Democratic Party candidate, LDP unregistered for Queensland state elections.[3]
  Labor Party Yvette D'Ath Federal Labor MP for Petrie 2007–2013.[17]
  Independent Talosaga McMahon Long-term varied community involvement.[3][18]
  Independent Liz Woollard Building Surveyor.[3][19]
  Liberal National Party of Queensland Kerri-Anne Dooley Nurse educator. Contested Redcliffe at the 2012 state election as a Family First Party candidate.[20]

Katter's Australian Party, which received 8.7 percent in 2012, did not re-contest Redcliffe at the by-election.[3]

Polling
  • On 13–14 December 2013, 774 Redcliffe voters were robocall polled by ReachTEL. Labor's primary vote was at 42 percent with the LNP on 35 percent corresponding to a two-party vote of 54 percent to Labor with the LNP on 46 percent, a 14 percent two-party swing to Labor.[21]
  • On 9–12 January 2014, 891 Redcliffe voters were robocall polled by Lonergan Research. Labor's primary vote was at 53 percent, but gave no figures for other parties or candidates, or a two-party vote.[22] Crikey's Poll Bludger indicated the primary votes were Labor 53 percent, LNP 29 percent, Greens 7 percent, with remaining candidates on 10 percent.[23]
  • On 14 January 2014, 95 Redcliffe voters were SMS polled by 612 ABC Brisbane radio. Labor's primary vote was at 66 percent with the LNP on 17 percent, Greens 11 percent, with remaining candidates on 6 percent. No two-party vote was provided.[24]
  • On 14 February 2014, 500 Redcliffe voters were robocall polled by Galaxy Research. Labor's primary vote was at 48 percent with the LNP on 35 percent corresponding to a two-party vote of 57 percent to Labor with the LNP on 43 percent, a 17 percent two-party swing to Labor.[25]

Result
Redcliffe state by-election, 2014[3][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Yvette D'Ath 12,437 44.6 +13.9
Liberal National Kerri-Anne Dooley 9,724 34.9 –14.4
Independent Len Thomas 2,837 10.2 +10.2
Greens John Marshall 1,064 3.8 –2.9
Family First Sally Vincent 675 2.4 –2.1
Independent Talosaga McMahon 345 1.2 +1.2
Independent Liz Woollard 327 1.2 +1.2
Independent Gabriel Buckley 268 1.0 +1.0
Independent Andrew Tyrrell 205 0.7 +0.7
Total formal votes 27,882 97.7 +0.1
Informal votes 665 2.3 –0.1
Turnout 28,547 86.1 –5.0
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Yvette D'Ath 14,043 57.1 +17.2
Liberal National Kerri-Anne Dooley 10,540 42.9 –17.2
Labor gain from Liberal National Swing+17.2

Results are final.[26] The ABC's Antony Green said at 7:20pm on election night that D'Ath had reclaimed the seat for Labor.[2] The by-election proved to be the beginning of the end for the Newman government, which suffered a shock defeat at the 2015 state election.

See also

References
  1. "MP Scott Driscoll's replacement in Redcliffe to be decided in February poll, Campbell Newman says". ABC. 13 January 2013.
  2. Redcliffe by-election: Labor candidate Yvette D'Ath wins the Queensland seat - ABC 22 February 2014
  3. 2014 Redcliffe by-election: Antony Green ABC
  4. Calligeros, Marissa (25 March 2013). "Embattled MP suspended from LNP". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  5. "Scott Driscoll resigns from LNP". Brisbane Times. 19 April 2013.
  6. "CMC assessment of a complaint against Scott Driscoll MP". 19 March 2013.
  7. "MP for Redcliffe Scott Driscoll faces investigation by CMC and police over allegations of fraud and misconduct". Courier-Mail. 24 April 2013.
  8. "Home of controversial Redcliffe MP raided by Crime and Misconduct Commission". Courier-Mail. 11 May 2013.
  9. "Redcliffe MP Scott Driscoll allegations referred to Parliament's ethics committee". ABC News. 13 June 2013.
  10. "Redcliffe MP Scott Driscoll resigns from Qld Parliament". ABC News. 20 November 2013.
  11. "Scott Driscoll should be expelled from parliament: ethics committee". Brisbane Times. 19 November 2013.
  12. "2014 Redcliffe by-election timetable: ECQ". Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  13. Record Short Voting Window for Redcliffe By-election: Antony Green ABC 29 January 2014
  14. "2014 Redcliffe by-election candidates: ECQ". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  15. Redcliffe byelection rests on the undecided and disillusioned: Brisbane Times 12 January 2014
  16. Freedom Ride Visits QLD Parliament: Altmax Media 1 December 2013
  17. "Yvette D'Ath wins Labor preselection for state seat of Redcliffe". Brisbane Times. 2 December 2013.
  18. "Talosaga McMahon website". Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  19. "Liz Woollard website". Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  20. "LNP pins hopes on former Family First candidate Kerri-Anne Dooley to retain Redcliffe". Brisbane Times. 19 December 2013.
  21. "Working for Queenslanders – Redcliffe poll". ReachTEL. 13 December 2013.
  22. Taylor, Lenore (14 January 2014). "Labor leads poll in Brisbane byelection dominated by public health policy". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  23. Bowe, William (15 January 2014). "Redcliffe by-election: February 22". Poll Bludger. Crikey Blogs. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  24. "SMS poll - Redcliffe by election (who would you vote for if the poll were today?): 612 ABC Brisbane radio 14 January 2014". Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  25. Galaxy Poll ahead of Redcliffe by-election reveals primary support for LNP has dropped since election: Courier Mail 15 February 2014
  26. 2014 Redcliffe by-election: ECQ
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