Adam Carr's guide to
the 42nd Parliament
of the
Commonwealth of Australia


The House of Representatives

Western Australia
Bradfield                

Division of Brand

                Brisbane


Hon Gary Gray AO (ALP)

His ministerial website















































Location: South of Perth: Hope Valley, Kwinana, Mandurah, Rockingham
Division named for: Hon Sir David Brand, Premier of Western Australia
Median weekly family income: $754 (127th highest)
Persons born in non English speaking countries: 05.4% (100th highest)
Persons born in the UK and Ireland: 18.1% (2nd highest)
Persons in professional occupations: 14.8% (149th highest)
Persons aged 65 and over: 12.9% (80th highest)
Couple families with dependent children: 36.9% (95th highest)
Dwellings being purchased: 38.2% (19th highest)
Sitting member: Hon Gary Gray AO (Labor), elected 2007
Born 30 April 1958, Rotherham, United Kingdom. Career: Educated Australian National University. ALP National Secretary 1992-97. Executive Director, Medical Research Foundation 2000-01. Senior Executive, Woodside Energy 2001-07. Order of Australia 2003.
Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Northern Australia from 3 December 2007
1996 two-party majority: Labor 00.2
Effect of 1998 redistribution: 01.0 shift to Labor
1998 two-party majority: Labor 12.3
Effect of 2201 redistribution: 01.0 shift to Labor
2001 two-party majority: Labor 10.1
2004 two-party majority: Labor 04.7
2007 two-party majority: Labor 05.6



2004 enrolment: 84,223
2007 enrolment: 91,961 (+09.2%)
Brand was created in 1984, in the fast-growing coastal strip running south of Perth, based on the industrial centre of Rockingham and the tourist-retirement town of Mandurah. Socially it is in some ways like a rural seat - it has a relatively low median income level, a low level of people in professional occupations and a low level of people born in non English speaking countries. Unlike country seats it has a high level of people paying off their homes. It is also marked by the second-highest level in Australia of immigrants from the UK. This mix produces a seat which is usually Labor but far from reliably so. Brand was won in 1984 by Wendy Fatin, who was a junior minister in the Keating government. She retired in 1996 and was succeeded by Deputy Prime Minister Kim Beazley, who had been member for Swan since 1980 but who needed a safer seat. As it was Beazley very nearly lost Brand in 1996. He did much better in 1998 and 2001, when he was Leader of the Opposition, but in 2004, under Mark Latham's leadership, he was again run close. Beazley retired in 2007, and was succeeded by former National secretary Gary Gray, who was born in the UK. He was appointed a parliamentary secretary after the election. Gray obtained a swing of only 0.9%, so this is not a seat which Labor can take for granted. In 2007 Labor polled 70% of the two-party vote in Medina, and over 65% in Callista, Cooloongup, Hillman, Leda and Parmelia. The Liberals polled over 60% in Meadow Springs North and Wandi.
 

Two-party vote by booth, 2007 Click to enlarge map

Two-party swing by booth, 2007 Click to enlarge map




















Members for Brand


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