2013 Northern Tablelands state by-election

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Northern Tablelands on 25 May 2013. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of independent member Richard Torbay, which was announced on 20 March 2013. Adam Marshall was declared elected on 28 May 2013.[1]

2013 Northern Tablelands state by-election
25 May 2013
  First party Second party Third party
 
ALP
IND
Candidate Adam Marshall Herman Beyersdorf Jim Maher
Party National Labor Independent
Popular vote 27,276 4,190 5,814
Percentage 63.3% 9.7% 13.5%
Swing Increase 35.0 Increase 6.3 Increase 13.5
TPP 81.0% 19.0%
TPP swing Increase 4.9 Decrease 4.9
The location of the seat of Northern Tablelands in New South Wales
MP before election

Richard Torbay
Independent

 Elected MP

Adam Marshall
National

Dates
Date Event [2]
22 April 2013 Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.[3]
22 April 2013 Close of electoral rolls
8 May 2013 Close of party nominations
9 May 2013 Close of independent nominations
13 May 2013 Early voting began
25 May 2013 Polling day, between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm
7 June 2013 Return of the Writ of election was due

Background

The seat became vacant when the former Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and Member for Northern Tablelands, Richard Torbay, who was the endorsed candidate for the Nationals for the federal seat of New England, suddenly resigned from State Parliament. Immediately prior to his resignation, the National disendorsed Torbay as preselected candidate for New England. It was claimed that his resignation was due to the controversy surrounding his ownership of more than twenty Centrelink buildings dating back to the era when John Howard was Prime Minister.[4]

Former mayor of Gunnedah Shire, Adam Marshall, won preselection as the Nationals nominee ahead of Jock Laurie and Claire Coulton.[5]

Controversies

During the campaign it was reported in the Armidale Express that Marshall had been a financial member of both the Labor and the National parties between 2001 and 2003; by the time his membership of the former expired in 2004, he was employed as a staff member for the then Independent Member for Tamworth, Peter Draper.[4][6]

One week prior to the by-election, Mal Peters, a councillor of Inverell Shire Council referred a matter of an undisclosed nature relating to Marshall to the Independent Commission Against Corruption. Marshall claimed that Peters' actions were spurious and questioned the timing of the complaint.[7]

Candidates

The seven candidates in ballot paper order were:

Candidate nominations [8]
  Independent Bill Bush
  Nationals Adam Marshall Former mayor of Gunnedah Shire
  Australian Greens Dora Koops
  Labor Party Herman Beyersdorf Deputy Mayor of Armidale Dumaresq Shire
  Independent Katherine Nicholson
  Independent Jim Maher Mayor of the Armidale Dumaresq Shire
  Christian Democratic Party Silvana Nero

Results
Northern Tablelands by-election Saturday 25 May [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Adam Marshall 27,276 63.3 +35.0
Independent Jim Maher 5,814 13.5 +13.5
Labor Herman Beyersdorf 4,190 9.7 +6.3
Independent Katherine Nicholson 1,845 4.3 +4.3
Greens Dora Koops 1,782 4.1 +0.8
Independent Bill Bush 1,270 2.9 +2.9
Christian Democrats Silvana Nero 912 2.1 +0.5
Total formal votes 43,089 97.1 -1.7
Informal votes 1,304 2.9 +1.8
Turnout 44,393 85.7 +7.5
Two-party-preferred result
National Adam Marshall 29,817 81.0 +4.9
Labor Herman Beyersdorf 7,014 19.0 -4.9
National gain from Independent Swing+4.9

See also

References
  1. "2013 Northern Tablelands By-election Results". Results: By-Elections: State. New South Wales Electoral Commission. 30 May 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  2. "Northern Tablelands State By-Election". New South Wales Electoral Commission. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  3. "Writ of election: Northern Tablelands" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 22 April 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  4. "Northern Tablelands voters look set to elect local mayor as next state MP". Independent Media Centre Australia. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  5. Nicholls, Sean (5 April 2013). "Surprise challenger for Torbay's seat". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  6. Jeffrey, Stephen (17 May 2013). "Adam's Labor past". Armidale Express. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  7. Green, Steve (17 April 2013). "Candidate referred to ICAC one week before pre-selection battle". Inverell Times. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  8. "Northern Tablelands State By-Election". Electoral Commission of New South Wales. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  9. Green, Antony. "2013 Northern Tablelands by-election results". ABC News. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
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