Adam Carr's guide to
The 2007 Australian federal election

The House of Representatives

Northern Territory
Shortland                

Division of Solomon

                Stirling


Dave Tollner (Lib)
His Liberal Party
website and his
campaign website


Damian Hale (ALP)
His ALP website



Jacques Chester (LDP)
His website


Deborah Hudson (Grn)
Her Greens website		 Location: Darwin: Darwin, Fannie Bay, Nightcliff, Palmerston
Division named for: Hon Vaiben Solomon, pioneer of the Northern Territory and member of the first federal Parliament
Median weekly family income: $1,181 (23rd highest)
Persons born in non English speaking countries: 11.9% (65th highest)
Persons in professional occupations: 27.1% (59th highest)
Persons in government employment: 32.1% (3rd highest)*
Persons aged 65 and over: 5.2% (149th highest)
Couple families with dependent children: 41.3% (39th highest)
Dwellings being purchased: 29.2% (49th highest)
Sitting member: Dave Tollner (Liberal), elected 2001, 2004
Born: 31 January 1966, Biloela, Queensland. Career: Manager
2001 two-party majority: Liberal 00.1
2004 primary votes: Labor 38.5, Liberal 48.7, Green 6.8
2004 two-party majority: Liberal 02.8
2004 enrolment: 54,725
2007 enrolment: 57,560 (+05.2%)
Solomon was created in 2001 when the old seat of Northern Territory was divided in two. It covers the city of Darwin and most of its suburbs. Darwin is a fairly wealthy city with a high proportion of government employees and professionals. Only 9% of its population is Indigenous, while nearly 5% were born in South-East Asia. It is also a young city, with a high proportion of families with dependent children and dwellings being purchased, but a very low proportion of people over 65. In 2001 it had a small notional Labor majority, but the atmosphere of that election, plus a weak Labor candidate, allowed the Liberal Dave Tollner to scrape in with a tiny margin. In 2004 he substantially increased his majority, but the seat is still highly marginal. In 2004 the Liberals polled over 60% of the two-party vote at Berrimah, Larrikeya and Bakwell, while Labor polled 62% at Tiwi. A former Tollner staffer, Jacques Chester, is running as a minor party candidate. Labor has accused him of being a front to "collect preferences" for Tollner.
Candidates in ballot-paper order
  • Damian Hale (Labor) is AFL coach of the NT institute of Sport and Head Coach of the NT Thunder AFL team.
  • Trudy Campbell (CEC) is a nurse.
  • Jacques Chester (Liberty and Democracy) is a student at the University of Western Australia and a former staffer of Dave Tollner.
  • Dave Tollner (Liberal) is the sitting member: see biography above.
  • Maurice Foley (Independent)
  • Deborah Hudson (Greens) is a nurse and works at Charles Darwin University.







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    Two-party vote by booth, 2004 Click to enlarge map

    Two party swing by booth, 2004 Click to enlarge map

    Members for Solomon


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