Adam Carr's guide to
The 2007 Australian federal election
The House of Representatives
Queensland
Queensland
| Hasluck |
Division of Herbert | Higgins |
| Hasluck |
Division of Herbert | Higgins |
 Peter Lindsay (Lib) His Liberal Party website and his campaign website  George Colbran OAM (ALP) His ALP website and his campaign website  Francis Pauler (ON) His One Nation website  Michael Punshon (FF) His Family First website  Sharon Sheridan (Dem) No website  Jenny Stirling (Grn) Her Greens website |
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Location: North Qld: Garbutt, Mundingburra, Thuringowa, Townsville Division named for: Sir Robert Herbert, first Premier of Queensland Median weekly family income: $962 (58th highest) Persons born in non English speaking countries: 4.9% (108th highest) Persons in professional occupations: 22.5% (104th highest) Persons in government employment: 28.6% (4th highest) Persons aged 65 and over: 9.4% (117th highest) Couple families with dependent children: 39.7% (51st highest) Dwellings being purchased: 27.2% (65th highest) Sitting member: Hon Peter Lindsay (Liberal), elected 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004 Born: 4 May 1944, Brisbane. Career: Television station production manager, General Manager, Townsville Television 1972-96. Councillor and Opposition Leader, Townsville City Council 1985-96 Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence from 30 January 2007 1996 two-party majority: Liberal 06.6 Effect of 1998 redistribution: 00.1 shift to Liberal 1998 two-party majority: Liberal 00.1 2001 two-party majority: Liberal 01.5 Effect of 2004 redistribution: no change 2004 primary votes: Labor 36.2, Liberal 49.7, Green 5.0 2004 two-party majority: Liberal 06.2 Effect of 2006 redistribution: 00.1 shift to Labor 2007 notional two-party majority: Liberal 06.1 2004 enrolment: 87,987 2007 enrolment: 90,756 (+04.3%) (new boundaries) Herbert has existed since Federation, and once covered all of north Queensland. Since 1949 it has consisted of Townsville and surrounding areas. The 2006 redistribution has cut it back to the city and suburbs, making it an entirely urban seat for the first time. As a regional administrative centre and a booming tourist town it has a somewhat higher level of median family income than most regional seats, and also a high proportion of government employees, including many defence personnel. For most of its history it has been a safe Labor seat, although its first Labor member retained it as a Nationalist for most of the 1920s. In recent times, as Labor's regional base has declined, Herbert has trended Liberal, a process hastened by the large military vote. In 2004 the Liberals polled 71% of the two-party vote in Annandale East, and carried most of the booths in the Townsville suburbs, while Labor polled best on Palm Island (61%) and also carried some booths in central Townsville. Peter Lindsay has held Herbert for Liberals since 1996, and has retained the seat since 1996 without too much difficulty, although he was run close in 2001. There was talk that he would retire at this election (he is 63), but his recent promotion to Parliamentary Secretary seems to have ended that suggestion. Nevertheless Labor believes this seat is winnable, and has a strong candidate in well-known Townsville businessman George Colbran. With polls currently showing Labor gaining a big swing across Queensland, Herbert is at serious risk, and a local poll in September showed Labor ahead (see link below). Candidates in ballot-paper order Campaign newsPeter Lindsay |
|  Two-party vote by booth, 2004
Click to enlarge map
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