2007 Peel state by-election

The 2007 Peel state by-election was held in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly district of Peel on 3 February 2007.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labor MP Norm Marlborough. Labor candidate Paul Papalia was elected to fill the vacancy.

Background

Norm Marlborough was appointed to cabinet in 2006 as Minister for Small Business, Minister for the Peel and the South West, and Minister Assisting the Minister for Education and Training. This followed the replacement of Geoff Gallop by Alan Carpenter as Premier and Labor leader. Carpenter relaxed the previously existing ban on ministerial contact with disgraced former Premier turned lobbyist Brian Burke. Marlborough, a friend of Burke's, would prove an embarrassment to the government when it was revealed by the Corruption and Crime Commission that he had deliberately passed on confidential cabinet information to Burke.[1]

Marlborough resigned from parliament on 10 November 2006,[2] following his sacking from the ministry.[3] On 21 November 2006, the Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly issued a writ directing the Electoral Commissioner to proceed with an election in the district.[4]

Timeline
Date Event
10 November 2006 Norm Marlborough resigned, vacating the seat of Peel.
21 November 2006 Writs were issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly to proceed with a by-election.[4]
4 January 2007 Close of nominations and draw of ballot papers.[5]
3 February 2007 Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm.
19 February 2007 The writ was returned and the results formally declared.

Results

Despite the controversy surrounding Marlborough's resignation, the government went unpunished at the ballot box. Instead, the by-election produced an increased two-party preferred majority for Labor.

Peel state by-election, 2007[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Paul Papalia 10,801 50.48 −4.50
Liberal Graeme Coleman 5,179 24.21 −4.81
Greens Dawn Jecks 1,941 9.07 +2.70
Independent Gerard Kettle 1,062 4.96 +4.96
One Nation Craig Bradshaw 913 4.27 +2.08
Christian Democrats Brent Tremain 871 4.07 +0.31
Independent Robert Woodward 461 2.15 +2.15
Citizens Electoral Council Brian McCarthy 168 0.79 +0.40
Total formal votes 21,396 96.39 +1.57
Informal votes 801 3.61 −1.57
Turnout 22,197 79.54 −10.28
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Paul Papalia 13,811 64.59 +1.09
Liberal Graeme Coleman 7,570 35.41 −1.09
Labor hold Swing+1.09

References
  1. Sam Riley and AAP (20 February 2007). "Marlborough broke cabinet confidentiality for Burke". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 30 July 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
  2. "WA's Marlborough quits after Burke links revealed". ABC Online. 10 November 2006.
  3. "Burke, Marlborough caught on tape". 7.30 Report (ABC). 9 November 2006.
  4. "Issue of Writ for an Election for the Peel Electoral District to elect a Member of the Legislative Assembly (per EC401)" (PDF). Western Australia Government Gazette. 24 November 2008. p. 2006:4815.
  5. Western Australian Electoral Commission. "2007 Peel By Election - Key dates and deadlines". Archived from the original on 22 June 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
  6. "District of Peel Results". Western Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 3 September 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
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