Division of Capricornia
The Division of Capricornia is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland.
Capricornia Australian House of Representatives Division | |
---|---|
![]() Division of Capricornia in Queensland, as of the 2019 federal election. | |
Created | 1901 |
MP | Michelle Landry |
Party | Liberal National |
Namesake | Tropic of Capricorn |
Electors | 102,577 (2019) |
Area | 90,903 km2 (35,097.8 sq mi) |
History
![](../I/Tropic_of_Capricorn_monument%252C_Diamantina_Developmental_Road%252C_2016.jpg.webp)
The division was one of the original 65 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named after the Tropic of Capricorn, which runs through the Division. It is located on the central Queensland coast and its centre has always been the city of Rockhampton. On its current boundaries it also includes the town of Yeppoon and Ooralea, a southern suburb of Mackay.
The first election saw Alexander Paterson, with 51% of votes, narrowly elected over the ALP candidate Wallace Nelson. For most of its subsequent history it has been a fairly safe seat for the ALP. This was especially true when Gladstone was part of the seat from 1901 to 1984. Even after Gladstone was redistributed to Hinkler in 1984 (it is now part of Flynn), it remained one of the few non-metropolitan seats where Labor consistently did well. Labor held it for all but two terms from 1961 to 2013, the two exceptions being the high-tide elections of 1975 and 1996. Its best-known member was Frank Forde, who was briefly Prime Minister of Australia in 1945.
Capricornia is currently held by Michelle Landry for the Liberal National Party who in 2016, became the first conservative MP to serve more than one term in the seat since George Pearce.
Members
Election results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal National | Michelle Landry | 36,163 | 40.65 | +0.59 | |
Labor | Russell Robertson | 21,120 | 23.74 | −14.33 | |
One Nation | Wade Rothery | 15,105 | 16.98 | +16.98 | |
Greens | Paul Bambrick | 4,307 | 4.84 | +0.12 | |
Katter's Australian | George Birkbeck | 3,269 | 3.67 | −3.40 | |
United Australia | Lindsay Sturgeon | 3,250 | 3.65 | +3.65 | |
Independent | Ken Murray | 2,211 | 2.49 | −2.35 | |
Conservative National | Grant Pratt | 1,905 | 2.14 | +2.14 | |
Democratic Labour | Richard Temple | 1,637 | 1.84 | +1.84 | |
Total formal votes | 88,967 | 93.67 | −2.76 | ||
Informal votes | 6,008 | 6.33 | +2.76 | ||
Turnout | 94,975 | 92.58 | −0.47 | ||
Two-party-preferred result | |||||
Liberal National | Michelle Landry | 55,475 | 62.35 | +11.72 | |
Labor | Russell Robertson | 33,492 | 37.65 | −11.72 | |
Liberal National hold | Swing | +11.72 |
References
- Capricornia, QLD, Tally Room 2019, Australian Electoral Commission.