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2009 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election

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Periodic elections for the Tasmanian Legislative Council were held on 2 May 2009. The three seats up for election were Derwent, held by Labor MLC Michael Aird; Mersey, held by retiring independent MLC Norma Jamieson; and Windermere, held by independent MLC Ivan Dean. These seats were last contested in 2003.

Derwent

Derwent had been held by Michael Aird for Labor since a 1995 by-election; he had previously served in the House of Assembly from 1979 to 1986 and from 1989 to 1995. A minister in Michael Field's government from 1989 to 1992, he had served as Treasurer and Minister for Racing since 2006. The Tasmanian Greens endorsed Susan Gunter, a shearer and former environmental lawyer. Independent candidate Jenny Branch, Glenorchy Alderman and President of the Tasmanian Parents and Friends Association, was a Liberal Party member but resigned from the party prior to the election.[1]

The former federal member for Franklin, Harry Quick, initially nominated as a Greens candidate, but he withdrew his nomination.[2]

Since Aird won a majority on the first vote, no preference count was conducted.

Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic elections, 2009: Derwent[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Michael Aird 9,932 51.61 −25.67
Independent Jenny Branch 6,438 33.46 +33.46
Greens Susan Gunter 2,873 14.93 −7.79
Total formal votes 19,243 95.75 −2.99
Informal votes 855 4.25 +2.99
Turnout 20,098 82.06
Labor hold Swing

Mersey

Independent MLC for Mersey Norma Jamieson decided to retire after one term, having been first elected in 2003. Four candidates, all independents, contested the election. Mike Gaffney was a teacher and public servant who had been Mayor of Latrobe Council since 2002 and President of the Tasmanian Local Government Association since 2006. Although running as an independent, Gaffney had previously run for the Labor Party at the 2002 state election and received some support from the Labor government. Norma Jamieson's daughter Carolynn was a small business owner. Lynn Laycock had been Mayor of Devonport since 2005; she had some Liberal connections, having worked as an assistant to Liberal Premier Tony Rundle. Steve Martin was running primarily on the issue of Mersey Community Hospital, which had passed to Commonwealth control the previous year. He had previously worked for Labor MPs and was a restaurateur at the time of the election.[4]

Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic elections, 2009: Mersey[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Mike Gaffney 8,460 42.93 +42.93
Independent Steve Martin 5,447 27.64 +12.77
Independent Lynn Laycock 3,183 16.15 +16.15
Independent Carolynn Jamieson 2,617 13.28 +13.28
Total formal votes 19,707 97.22 +0.00
Informal votes 564 2.88 +0.00
Turnout 20,271 86.01 −4.18
Two-party-preferred result
Independent Mike Gaffney 11,836 60.06 +60.06
Independent Steve Martin 7,871 39.94 +39.94
Independent hold Swing

Windermere

Independent MLC for Windermere Ivan Dean had first been elected in 2003, when he defeated independent Labor member Silvia Smith. In 2005 he was elected as Mayor of Launceston, which attracted some criticism for holding the dual positions; Dean opted to donate his mayoral salary to charity. He lost the mayoralty in 2008 but remained a councillor; his defeat was reckoned to have something to do with his support for the Gunns pulp mill. His highest-profile challenger was Kathryn Hay, who served as Labor MHA for Bass from 2002 to 2006. Hay was running as an independent Labor candidate. The Tasmanian Greens endorsed small business owner and maritime scientist Peter Whish-Wilson. Independent Peter Kaye was a prominent local radio presenter campaigning mainly on increasing funding for Launceston General Hospital. Launceston councillor and former Labor Party member Ted Sands was also standing as an independent.[6]

Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic elections, 2009: Windermere[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Ivan Dean 7,084 39.17 −10.96
Independent Kathryn Hay 4,839 26.76 +26.76
Greens Peter Whish-Wilson 2,941 16.26 +16.26
Independent Peter Kaye 1,769 9.78 +9.78
Independent Ted Sands 1,451 8.02 +8.02
Total formal votes 18,084 96.42 −0.38
Informal votes 672 3.58 +0.38
Turnout 18,756 80.46 −5.66
Two-party-preferred result
Independent Ivan Dean 9,839 55.00 N/A
Independent Kathryn Hay 8,051 45.00 N/A
Independent hold Swing

References

  1. ^ Green, Antony (2009). "Derwent". 2009 Tasmanian Legislative Council Elections (ABC Elections). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  2. ^ Tucker, Peter; Bonham, Kevin (21 April 2009). "Three very interesting Legislative Council elections". Tasmanian Times. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  3. ^ "Division of Derwent". 2009 Legislative Council election results. Tasmanian Electoral Commission. 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  4. ^ Green, Antony (2009). "Mersey". 2009 Tasmanian Legislative Council Elections (ABC Elections). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  5. ^ "Division of Mersey". 2009 Legislative Council election results. Tasmanian Electoral Commission. 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  6. ^ Green, Antony (2009). "Windermere". 2009 Tasmanian Legislative Council Elections (ABC Elections). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  7. ^ "Division of Windermere". 2009 Legislative Council election results. Tasmanian Electoral Commission. 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
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