Electoral district of Polwarth

The electoral district of Polwarth is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It is located in south-west rural Victoria, west of Geelong, and covers the Colac and Corangamite local government areas (LGA), parts of the Moyne, Golden Plains and Surf Coast LGAs, and slivers of the Ararat and Greater Geelong LGAs, running along the Great Ocean Road taking in Anglesea, Cape Otway, Peterborough, Aireys Inlet, Lorne, Wye River, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, covering the inland towns of Winchelsea, Colac, Camperdown and Terang along the Princes Highway, and Inverleigh, Cressy, Lismore and Mortlake on the Hamilton Highway, and finally, includes the Otway Ranges and Lake Corangamite.[1]

Polwarth
Victoria—Legislative Assembly
Location of Polwarth (dark green) in Victoria
StateVictoria
Created1889
MPRichard Riordan
PartyLiberal Party
Electors45,895 (2018)
Area12,561 km2 (4,849.8 sq mi)
DemographicRural

The seat has existed since 1889 and has always been held by conservative parties. The Liberal Party has held the seat continuously since 1970, although the Nationals have provided strong challenges on occasions, such as at the 1999 election when election night figures suggested retired AFL Footballer Paul Couch would win the seat.[2] Ultimately, however, Couch failed to finish ahead of the Labor Party candidate and the Liberal candidate, Terry Mulder, won after receiving preferences from Couch.[3]

The 2014 Victorian election saw the Liberal's Terry Mulder retain his seat,[4] with a 3.2% swing to Labor.[5] Mulder resigned from parliament on 3 September 2015. The subsequent by-election, held on 31 October, saw Richard Riordan elected as the new member.

Members for Polwarth
MemberPartyTerm
  Charles Forrest Unaligned 1889–1894
  Thomas Baker Unaligned 1894–1897
  Charles Forrest Unaligned 1897–1911
  John Johnstone Commonwealth Liberal 1911–1917
  James McDonald Nationalist 1917–1929
  Economy 1929–1931
  United Australia 1931–1933
  Allan McDonald United Australia 1933–1940
  Edward Guye Country 1940–1950
  Liberal and Country 1950–1958
  Tom Darcy Liberal and Country 1958–1959
  Liberal 1959–1970
  Cec Burgin Liberal 1970–1985
  Ian Smith Liberal 1985–1999
  Terry Mulder Liberal 1999–2015
  Richard Riordan Liberal 2015–present

Election results
Main article: Electoral results for the district of Polwarth
2018 Victorian state election: Polwarth[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Richard Riordan 20,629 51.14 −4.26
Labor Douglas Johnston 13,338 33.06 +5.08
Greens Courtney Gardner 3,949 9.79 −1.24
Animal Justice Damien Pitts 1,636 4.06 +4.06
Victorian Socialists Brendan Murphy 788 1.95 +1.95
Total formal votes 40,340 95.00 −1.10
Informal votes 2,122 5.00 +1.10
Turnout 42,462 92.52 −2.36
Two-party-preferred result
Liberal Richard Riordan 22,360 55.40 −5.24
Labor Douglas Johnston 17,999 44.60 +5.24
Liberal hold Swing−5.24

Historical maps
  • Location of Polwarth in Victoria, circa 1889

See also

References
  1. "Victorian Electoral Commission". Polworth District Profile. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  2. "Polwarth". ABC News Online. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 18 September 1999. Archived from the original on 18 January 2000. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  3. "State Election 1999: Polwarth District". Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 12 September 2007. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  4. "Victorian Electoral Commission". State Election 2014 : Polwarth District. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  5. "ABC Victoria Votes". Victoria Votes. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  6. State Election 2018: Polwarth District, VEC.
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