Psephos - Adam Carr's Election Archive

Adam Carr's Election Archive

Australian federal election, 2019
Division of Pearce, Western Australia

< Paterson previous seat | next seat Perth >
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North and east of Perth: Ellenbrook, Merriwa, Northam, Yanchep, York
State seats: All of Butler, parts of Burns Beach, Central Wheatbelt, Moore, Swan Hills and Wanneroo
Local government areas: All of Beverley, Chittering, Gingin, Northam, Toodyay and York, parts of Swan and Wanneroo
Enrolment at close of rolls: 119,588
1999 republic referendum: No 62.8
2018 same-sex marriage survey: Yes 63.9

Sitting member: Hon Christian Porter (Liberal): Elected 2013, 2016

2007 Liberal majority over Labor: 9.1%
2010 Liberal majority over Labor: 8.9%
2013 Liberal majority over Labor: 8.1%
2016 Liberal majority over Labor: 3.6%

Status: Very marginal Liberal

Best Liberal booths, two-party vote: West Dale (78.7), Greenhills (78.0), Seabird (74.4), Gingin (73.4), Grass Valley (71.9)
Best Labor booths, two-party vote: Clarkson (57.6), Banksia Grove (57.4), Merriwa (55.0), Ellenbrook West (54.8), Ellenbrook North (54.4)

  • 2016 results
  • Statistics and history

  • Candidates in ballot-paper order:

    1. Sandra Old
    Pauline Hanson's One Nation
    2. Kim Travers
    Australian Labor Party
    3. Hon Christian Porter
    Liberal Party
    4. Michael Calautti
    Western Australian Party
    5. Magdeleen Strauss
    Australian Christians
    6. Eugene Marshall
    Australian Greens
    7. Steve Blyth
    The Nationals
    8. Rob Forster
    United Australia Party
    9. Ross Williamson
    Shooters, Fishers and Farmers
    10. Colin Butland
    Independent



    Candidate websites:

    Eugene Marshall
    Hon Christian Porter
    Sandra Old
    Kim Travers

    Division of Pearce

    Pearce was created in 1990, in the outer eastern and northern suburbs of Perth, one of the fastest-growing areas in Australia. The 2004 redistribution extended it into rural areas south-east of Perth, but the bulk of its votes are still cast in the Perth suburbs. It is a classic mortgage belt seat, with the second-highest proportion of dwellings being purchased of any seat, and a high level of families with dependent children. It also has the high level of people born in the UK typical of Perth seats.

    Pearce was won in 1990 by Fred Chaney, a senior Liberal who had been a Senator since 1974. He quit in frustration at the state of the Liberal Party in 1993, and was succeeded by Judi Moylan, who was a minister in the first Howard Government. After she was dropped from the ministry in 1998 she became a backbench dissident, particularly on immigration issues, until her retirement in 2013.

    Christian Porter, Liberal MP for Pearce since 2013, was a lawyer, state prosecutor and law lecturer before he entered politics. He was WA state MP from 2008 to 2013 and was Attorney-General and then Treasurer in the state government. Once in Canberra he was rapidly promoted and is now Attorney-General.

    The 2016 redistribution removed much of the eastern suburban area of the seat, leaving mainly the outer northern suburbs and the rural areas. This increased the Liberal majority to 9.3%. But Labor attained a swing of 5.7% in 2016 with a last-minute candidate, and the area continues to urbanise, so Porter will be far from safe in 2019.

    The Labor candidate in 2019 is Kim Travers, a former police officer who won the Australian Police Medal in 2015. The Greens candidate is Eugene Marshall, a teacher. The One Nation candidate, Sandra Old, is a hairdresser.

    Demographics:

    Median weekly household income: $1,658 (Australia $1,438)
    People over 65: 10.6% (Australia 15.8%)
    Indigenous: 2.2% (Australia 2.8%)
    Australian born: 56.4% (Australia 66.7%)
    Non-English-speaking households: 15.2% (Australia 22.2%)
    Catholics 19.3% (Australia 22.6%)
    No religion 33.8% (Australia 29.6%)
    University graduates: 13.1% (Australia 22.0%)
    Professional and managerial employment: 25.1% (Australia 35.2%)
    Employed in manufacturing and construction: 28.0% (Australia 22.9%)
    Employed in agriculture: 3.7% (Australia 3.3%)
    Paying a mortgage: 55.1% (Australia 34.5%)
    Renting: 22.0% (Australia 30.9%)
    Traditional families: 39.6% (Australia 32.8%)

    Members:

    Hon Fred Chaney (Lib) 1990-93
    Hon Judi Moylan (Lib) 1993-2013
    Hon Christian Porter (Lib) 2013-

    Boundaries following 2016 redistribution:




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