Division of Capricornia

The Division of Capricornia is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland.

Capricornia
Australian House of Representatives Division
Division of Capricornia in Queensland, as of the 2019 federal election
Created1901
MPMichelle Landry
PartyLiberal National
NamesakeTropic of Capricorn
Electors108,688 (2022)
Area90,903 km2 (35,097.8 sq mi)
DemographicRural and provincial

Capricornia is a traditionally a Labor-voting electorate, having been Labor-held for 72 years of the 100 years since 1922. However, Capricornia has recently trended towards the Coalition since 2013. This political realignment was particularly noticeable at the 2019 Australian federal election as blue-collar but highly paid mining workers deserted Labor for Pauline Hanson's One Nation and the Coalition.[1] Similar voting trends can be found in the nearby electorates of Flynn, Dawson, and Leichhardt.[1]

The current MP is Michelle Landry, a member of the Liberal National Party of Queensland.

Geography

Since 1984, federal electoral division boundaries in Australia have been determined at redistributions by a redistribution committee appointed by the Australian Electoral Commission. Redistributions occur for the boundaries of divisions in a particular state, and they occur every seven years, or sooner if a state's representation entitlement changes or when divisions of a state are malapportioned.[2]

The Division of Capricornia includes the city of Rockhampton, as well as neighbouring towns such as Yeppoon.

History

The Tropic of Capricorn, the division's namesake

The division was one of the original 65 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named after the Tropic of Capricorn, which runs through the Division. It is located on the central Queensland coast and its centre has always been the city of Rockhampton. On its current boundaries it also includes the town of Yeppoon and Ooralea, Marian and Sarina, all southern suburbs of Mackay.

The first election saw Alexander Paterson, with 51% of votes, narrowly elected over the ALP candidate Wallace Nelson. For most of its subsequent history it has been a fairly safe seat for the ALP. This was especially true when Gladstone was part of the seat from 1901 to 1984. Even after Gladstone was redistributed to Hinkler in 1984 (it is now part of Flynn), it remained one of the few non-metropolitan seats where Labor consistently did well. Labor held it for all but two terms from 1961 to 2013, the two exceptions being the high-tide elections of 1975 and 1996. Its best-known member was Frank Forde, who was briefly Prime Minister of Australia in 1945.

Capricornia is currently held by Michelle Landry for the Liberal National Party who in 2016, became the first conservative MP to serve more than one term in the seat since George Pearce.

Members

Image Member Party Term Notes
  Alexander Paterson
(1844–1908)
Independent Free Trade 30 March 1901
23 November 1903
Retired
  David Thomson
(1856–1926)
Labour 16 December 1903
12 December 1906
Lost seat
  Edward Archer
(1871–1940)
Anti-Socialist 12 December 1906
26 May 1909
Was the first MP who chose to make an affirmation rather than swearing an oath. Lost seat. Later elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Normanby in 1914
  Commonwealth Liberal 26 May 1909 –
13 April 1910
  William Higgs
(1862–1951)
Labor 13 April 1910
January 1920
Previously a member of the Senate. Served as minister under Hughes. Lost seat
  Independent January 1920 –
September 1920
  Nationalist September 1920 –
16 December 1922
  Frank Forde
(1890–1983)
Labor 16 December 1922
28 September 1946
Previously held the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Rockhampton. Served as minister under Scullin, Curtin and Chifley. Served as deputy prime minister under Curtin and Chifley. Served as Prime Minister in 1945. Lost seat. Later elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Flinders in 1955
  Charles Davidson
(1897–1985)
Country 28 September 1946
10 December 1949
Transferred to the Division of Dawson
  George Pearce
(1917–1992)
Liberal 10 December 1949
9 December 1961
Served as Chief Government Whip in the House under Menzies. Lost seat
  George Gray
(1903–1967)
Labor 9 December 1961
2 August 1967
Died in office
  Dr Doug Everingham
(1923–2017)
Labor 30 September 1967
13 December 1975
Served as minister under Whitlam. Lost seat
  Colin Carige
(1938–2002)
National Country 13 December 1975
10 December 1977
Lost seat
  Dr Doug Everingham
(1923–2017)
Labor 10 December 1977
26 October 1984
Retired
  Keith Wright
(1942–2015)
Labor 26 October 1984
1993
Previously held the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Rockhampton. Lost preselection and then lost seat
  Independent 1993 –
13 March 1993
  Marjorie Henzell
(1948–)
Labor 13 March 1993
2 March 1996
Lost seat
  Paul Marek
(1964–)
Nationals 2 March 1996
3 October 1998
Lost seat
  Kirsten Livermore
(1969–)
Labor 3 October 1998
5 August 2013
Retired
  Michelle Landry
(1962–)
Liberal Nationals 7 September 2013
present
Incumbent

Election results

2022 Australian federal election: Capricornia[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal National Michelle Landry 35,613 39.44 −1.21
Labor Russell Robertson 25,330 28.05 +4.31
One Nation Kylee Stanton 13,179 14.60 −2.38
Greens Mick Jones 5,302 5.87 +1.03
United Australia Nathan Harding 3,555 3.94 +0.29
Independent Ken Murray 3,048 3.38 +0.89
Great Australian Zteven Whitty 1,747 1.93 +1.93
Liberal Democrats Steve Murphy 1,392 1.54 +1.54
Informed Medical Options Paula Ganfield 1,126 1.25 +1.25
Total formal votes 90,292 93.86 +0.19
Informal votes 5,904 6.14 −0.19
Turnout 96,196 88.60 −3.98
Two-party-preferred result
Liberal National Michelle Landry 51,096 56.59 −5.76
Labor Russell Robertson 39,196 43.41 +5.76
Liberal National hold Swing−5.76
Primary vote results in Capricornia
  Liberal National
  Liberal
  Country/National
  United Australia Party
  Labor
  Australian Democrats
  Greens
  One Nation
  Palmer United/United Australia Party
  Katter's Australian Party
  Independent
Two-candidate-preferred vote results in Capricornia

References

  1. "Capricornia (Key Seat) - Federal Electorate, Candidates, Results". abc.net.au. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  2. Muller, Damon (14 November 2017). "The process of federal redistributions: a quick guide". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  3. Capricornia, QLD, 2022 Tally Room, Australian Electoral Commission.

22.051°S 148.189°E / -22.051; 148.189

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