Bordered to the north by the Murray River, the electorate of Indi covers an area of northern Victoria including Wangaratta, Benalla and the border town of Wodonga. It produced one of the biggest boilovers of the 2013 election with the defeat of cabinet minister-in-waiting Sophie Mirabella at the hands of conservative independent Cathy McGowan, whose win marked the first time since 1931 that the seat was not in the hands of one of the main coalition parties. Indi has existed without interruption since federation and only ever won by Labor in 1910, 1914, 1928 (when Labor’s Paul Jones was elected unopposed after Country Party incumbent Robert Cook forgot to nominate) and 1929, from which time it shifted decisively to the conservatives. It was thereafter fought over between the Country Party and the Liberal Party (together with its predecessor the United Australia Party), the member from 1937 to 1949 being Country Party titan John “Black Jack” McEwen, who moved to the new seat of Murray with the expansion of parliament in 1949. The Nationals last held the seat in 1977, when their incumbent Mac Holten was defeated by Liberal candidate Ewen Cameron on Labor preferences. The Nationals contested in 2001 when Cameron’s successor Lou Lieberman retired, but managed only 12.3%.
The new Liberal member in 2001 was Sophie Panopoulos, a barrister and Australians for Constititutional Monarchy activist. Panopoulos married in 2006 and assumed her husband’s surname of Mirabella. Mirabella became noted for her aggressive parliamentary style, and was promoted to shadow cabinet in the innovation, industry, science and research portfolio when Tony Abbott became leader in December 2009. McGowan’s challenge to Mirabella arose out of a local activist group called Voice for Indi, which initially declared itself set on “improving the political process in the electorate” rather than mounting an electoral challenge. The group says it resolved to field a candidate after Mirabella gave their concerns short shrift, informing them that the real concerns of her constituents aligned with her party leader’s oft-repeated soundbites.
The candidate nominated by Voice for Indi was Cathy McGowan, a rural affairs consultant and former regional councillor for the Victorian Farmers Federation who had once worked for Liberal member Ewen Cameron. With McGowan to rally behind, the organisation proved adept at fund-raising and use of social media, and it soon became apparent that it was succeeding in tapping into a perception that Mirabella was a Melburnian careerist with an insufficient connection to the local area. McGowan’s profile was further lifted when retiring New England independent Tony Windsor told the ABC’s Insiders program that the “nasty” Mirabella was the person he would least miss in politics, and that McGowan was an “excellent independent” whose campaign he might lend support.
Also lending McGowan support was Ken Jasper, who served Wangaratta and surrounding areas in state parliament for 34 years, retiring as member for Murray Valley at the 2010 election. McGowan appeared to benefit from friction between the coalition parties spilling over from the contest for Mallee, which the Liberals were seeking to win upon the retirement of Nationals member John Forrest. Reports indicated that local Nationals had been quietly told they would not face disciplinary action if they lent support to McGowan.
McGowan went on to prevail after polling 31.2% to Mirabella’s 44.7%, which was down from 51.8% in 2010. This left McGowan well clear of the Labor candidate on 11.6%, down from 28.2%, and she was narrowly able to close the primary vote gap after picking up 79% of Labor and minor party preferences.
NB: Hat tip to Ben Raue at The Tally Room, whose Google Earth maps I’m using for the electoral boundaries displayed in the map above. Raue does tremendous work on his blog and deserves donations. Note also that you can get a slightly bigger image of the above map by clicking on it.
The Indonesians have been dropping hints that their current assumption is that the Coalition’s rhetoric is for domestic consumption and that the relationship with Australia will remain stable as long as that’s the case.
[In the eyes of the electorate, stopping the boats is what counts]
First, ‘the electorate’ doesn’t think with a hive mind. Abbott said he was governing for everyone – I assume we should take him at his word.
Second, even if ‘the electorate’ thought in this way, good government is about more than that – transparency and accountability are something to be desired from any decent government.
Third, it’s too early to say whether this policy will ‘stop the boats’. I hope it does for the record and believe the Opposition should largely allow the Government to legislate their policy in this area and then wear the consequences, whatever they may be.
M77
‘BW
‘Grown-up’ means being accountable and transparent.
In the eyes of the electorate, stopping the boats is what counts and provided the givt is not doing anything illegal, then they couldn’t care less if nothing is said for 3 years, provided they stop coming.’
I see you still do not get it. This is about Tony Two Face white-anting democracy. It is about him not being accountable and transparent. What are Abbott and Morrison hiding? You don’t know, do you?
The plan is obviously that electorate won’t know if the boats stop coming. That is why the Admiral’s mouth has been zipped shut by Tony Two Face. The Australian and the Daily Telegraph are compliant, of course, as are the braindead shockjocks.
But here is the rub for the kiddies in the Big House.
The electorate will get the truth, eventually, thanks be to social media.
We do know that the Liberals are opening thousands of new spots on Manus and Nauru..
Now why would that be necessary?
I watched the recording of the “adult” standing there nodding his head for 44 sec when asked a question about his “shit happens” comment.
[1149
Mick77
BW
‘Grown-up’ means being accountable and transparent.
In the eyes of the electorate, stopping the boats is what counts and provided the givt is not doing anything illegal, then they couldn’t care less if nothing is said for 3 years, provided they stop coming.]
Why will the LNP succeed? They have proposed several measures which have all be rejected by Indonesia – turning back the boats (an impossibility anyway), buying up boats (also an unworkable policy), sending Australian Federal Police to work in Indonesia and Malaysia (very strange). They have restored TPV’s, though they have never worked before.
So what else do they have that might break up this racket? They can try to militarise this element of immigration law. But this is just absurd. AS are not a security threat and there are no military measures that can be applied against them. The LNP have nothing. Their only resort is an attempt to conceal their failures.
Maybe the Coalition plans to show how adult they are by bribing them :P.
Itep
[transparency and accountability are something to be desired from any decent government]
Like Rudd’s corre with Garrett on the pink batts dangers?
In general however you are right but it doesn’t mean instant full info on every matter concerning borders or security. Secrecy is often an accepted (except by lunatics such as the Greens) and necessary permanent or temporary feature of policing and military operations.
BW
[The plan is obviously that electorate won’t know if the boats stop coming.]
Except that they will once a week.
Thanks to Mickey comment1150 I have had my comedy for the morning
“Abbott is serious and capable ie grown up” My sides are splitting at that description as memories of the “head jerking fool” with Mark Riley intrude as well
I think the ALP initiated ‘PNG solution’ was working, and would work by itself if consistently applied.
The LNP have basically committed to continuing the ‘PNG solution’.
Yes, the other crap they have gone on about is unworkable and largely offensive to the Indonesians, but provided they stick with the PNG solution I think they will succeed.
Mick77 is right about one thing – there is a strong psychological element. That the Australian government are portraying themselves as bastards to boat people is as important as whether they are actually being bastards. The LNP are good at that too.
ie they may well succeed at ‘stopping the boats’ even though most of their policy is bogus, not to mention dangerous.
Running from the parliament to avoid being seen as accepting a “tainted vote”. Very adult I don’t think.
It’s hard to believe that in a supposed to be mature democracy political parties have been using the most vunerable of people as political footballs for more than 12 years with no sign of it ceasing. Absolutely unbelievable but a sign of how shallow politics here has become. And yes one side is worse than the other, and I am ashamed to say it is the side I have traditionally followed, but it is still unbelievable and shallow.
Mick77
And AA never gives up:
Ignoring the fact that there was bipartisan agreement with the Liberals to dismantle the Pacific Solution.
The Libs agreed, as they did in dismantling Work Choices, to accept the mandate received by Rudd for Labor’s policies in 2007. This was in Nelson’s and/or Turnbull’s time. Not sure what Tony would have done but Labor is certainly not looking like it’ll return the favour in dismantling the carbon tax.
====================================================
The Liberals supported the change from Work Choices not because they believed Rudd had a mandate but because they got flogged by the electorate on the policy. It was politically ‘wise’ for them to move away from Work Choices. This is further evidenced by Abbott’s signature “in blood” that it would not return. It was a toxic policy that they had to distance themselves from.
As long as the Libs keep the PNG solution Labor can claim they had a hand in stopping the boats, if they stop. It’s the only part of the solution that says you won’t be settled here at all.
Mick77, I certainly wouldn’t hold the Rudd/Gillard Governments up as bastions of good governance but one is always hopeful with a new government and ‘hide the boats’ is a poor start.
I don’t buy that this issue is an issue surrounding national security and can’t see how continuing the usual level of media releases etc. would put anything at risk. The onus was on Morrison to explain this and he failed.
Mick77
SHARMAN STONE: We don’t need the Pacific Solution now, that’s Nauru Island and Manus Island, because we have the
Christmas Island centre completed. A very well structured and appropriate facility for people who need to be, of course, detained very, very, so I say humanely, so they very quickly can have their identities, their security, their character and health status checked. So we don’t need alternatives to Nauru and Manus island, we have Christmas Island.
===================================================
The Liberals did not agree to the bipartisan dismantling of the Pacific Solution because they believed Rudd had a mandate.
Read what the Shadow Minister said at the time and “mandate” never gets a mention.
Sad but true, david.
I will give Mick his “grown ups”. We have politicians behaving towards Australians as people who think they are grown ups do towards people who they think are children.
Mick
[The Libs agreed, as they did in dismantling Work Choices, to accept the mandate received by Rudd for Labor’s policies in 2007.]
No, the Libs flagged before the 2007 election that – if they were re elected – they would be dismantling the Pacific Solution.
By voting with the Labor government to do so, they were honouring their own mandate, not Labor’s.
I thought it was telling that the only thing Morrison really had was a new slogan about “providing shipping news for people smugglers”.
Slogans. It’s all they know.
mari
If you are still around. I have been reflecting on the image tweeted by Palmer yesterday.
Abbott was employment minister in Howard govt, and Sarina Russo set up a jobs access network etc.
So running out of the HoR is evidence of an adult in charge?
The catatonic state the Rabbit went into when he could not answer a journo’s question and really wanted to deck him? Adult behaviour?
Oh how the red necks love uniforms, saluting the flag and “national security” stuff.
Scratch deeply enough with a right-winger and often find a fascist underneath.
No surprise that two of our more vocal and aggressive red necks tell us of their glorious years either in tanks or as a “foot slogger”.
The first three weeks of this “adult government” has experienced one of the shortest honeymoons ever.
Even their friends in business are starting to count the mistakes made – and there have been plenty from a group so say “Ready to govern at any time”.
How long before the knives will be sharpening to put a more “human” face on the Liberal party to save it?
Less than three years now to the next election?
Was Labor’s policy of updating asap news of boat arrivals the result of the Coalition screaming about “secrecy” and “hiding arrivals” ?
In 2008 the Coalition fully supported Labor’s move to dismantle the Pacific Solution, Why ? Because PM John Howard had decided to spend $400 million upgrading the Christmas Island detention centre to a facility that would accommodate 800 asylum seekers. Why would he do that if the boats had stopped coming?
Obviously John Howard was thinking “down the track”, he knew that the Pacific Solution was unsustainable, he realised that it was only a matter of time before the Pacific Solution would have to be scrapped because it was a very expensive and extremely inhumane policy to stop the boats.”
And now we see rAbbott with Morrison telling us they are going to expand Nauru and Manus. This contradicts their claim they will stop the boats. If the “stop the Boats” mantra had any validity there would be no need to expand
This is the website of the Climate council
Donations can be made here
https://www.climatecouncil.org.au
[ GhostWhoVotes @GhostWhoVotes 10m #Essential Poll 2 Party Preferred: ALP 49 (+2) L/NP 51 (-2) #auspol]
[GhostWhoVotes @GhostWhoVotes 8m #Essential Poll Abbott: Approve 40 Disapprove 49 #auspol]
You ALP types are really good entertainment. I have never seen people run that fast from their own policy before. I know that the last ALP government was almost completely incompetant in the formation of policy and budgetting for them. But the amount of running happening here is extraordinary
– dismantling the pacific solution – that was the liberals
– malaysian solution – that was the liberals
– indonesian, pacific, PNG solutions – ditto
– Carbon tax backflip by Rudd and Julia – that was Abbott’s fault
– mining tax – that was liberals
– not balancing the budget – liberals
– Gillard caving to the greens on carbon tax – liberals
– BER blowout – Liberals
– Insulation disaster – Liberals
Since the ALP did not want to take any responsibility for anything they did in government …. was it any wonder the majority of Australian did not want them in government for the next 10 years?
Mick77 re#1125
If the Coalition were stopping the boats, they wouldn’t need to keep the news of arrivals quiet.
By now keeping such information secret, they are admitting that ‘Stop the Boats’ is a big fat con.
Tonka Boy Tony is a fraud
Centre
I’m not cherry picking but you’ve said this I suppose, at least a dozen times:
[The Greens wanted more than the CPRS, now they get nothing.]
Is it your contention that protecting the environment is a thing purely of interest to The Greens?
That seems to me to be a truly astonishing claim, particularly as the PM at the time — an ALP PM — claimed that combatting climate change was the greatest moral challenge of our time. There’s a consensus surely that if ecosystem services are not protected, that it will not merely be Greens supporters who stand worse, but humanity as a whole, including that part of it living in this jurisdiction.
I regard you as at best ignorant, frivolous and intellectually reckless, and the oft-repeated observation underlines this inference. You speak as if public policy is a kind of sport in which two sides contend, people pick tribes and in which betting markets are the source of fundamental truth.
I don’t doubt that there are many who share this view — certainly the mass media in this country speaks in the same terms. Yet it seems to me that this is entirely inappropriate to anyone who claims a systematic regard for the wellbeing of their fellow human beings and the integrity of the ideas from which that regard flows.
Your posts here are an unambiguous manifestation of what is so wrong in our public conversation and the role that has played in nurturing the kinds of regime in place today in Canberra and the states.
It must surely be a dreadful thing to live as you and your kind do — to be mere flotsam on a sea whose movements you can see only narrowly and whose drivers you can neither understand and still less in concert with others shape.How appalling it must be for you to look into a mirror and not understand who looks back and how he/she became like that and to why you do anything at all.
You are revolting, but I am reminded by your posts of why people like me are obligated to press for a better world, and I suppose that lends your posts importance.
Australia folllowing Canada?
[“[PM Harper] has muzzled government scientists: they are not allowed to speak out in the public, even in areas in which they are expert, unless they are first vetted by the Prime Minister’s office. Scientific papers must go through the Prime Minister’s office before they are allowed to be submitted for publication. So we’re now getting science being moulded to fit a political, ideological agenda. He is laying off scientists in sectors like atmosphere research, forestry, and fisheries. So we can go into a very uncertain future basically blind.”]
http://theconversation.com/david-suzuki-australian-scientists-should-be-up-on-the-ramparts-18505
briefly:
[What is occurring now is the juvenile delinquents now in office have made their own suppression of the facts at least as big a story as the boats themselves.]
Hmm The Juvenile Delinquent Regime … that might work. Still too many syllables, but it’s close.
[A people smuggler jailed in Indonesia has ridiculed Scott Morrison’s vow of silence about new asylum boat arrivals, saying the smuggling networks do not rely on Australian government press releases for their information.
The smuggler, Dawood Amiri, told Fairfax Media that the policy “won’t change anything” from the syndicates’ point of view.
“When the boat is being rescued and the passengers on board see the Australian authorities, they call the Hawaladar from their satellite phone. Then the smuggler gets the money,” Amiri said.
A Hawaladar is a trusted third party, often based in Afghanistan or Pakistan, who holds the money in trust for passengers on boats. The money is only released to the people smuggler when the boat arrives safely.
“This new policy can work only if the Abbott minister buys all the satellite phones in Indonesia (like they want to buy the scrap boats),” Amiri said.]
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/people-smuggler-ridicules-scott-morrisons-silence-on-boat-arrivals-20130924-2ub2z.html#ixzz2flmJjDPz
BW
[A beautiful rose, presented beautifully by the Rose of Bludger. *blushes coyly*]
Ah BW … now that was très gentil…
I’ll have to keep Hubby away from Bludger for a while … 😉
dovif
Posted Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at 11:26 am | Permalink
You ALP types are really good entertainment. I have never seen people run that fast from their own policy before. I know that the last ALP government was almost completely incompetant in the formation of policy and budgetting for them. But the amount of running happening here is extraordinary
– dismantling the pacific solution – that was the liberals
– malaysian solution – that was the liberals
– indonesian, pacific, PNG solutions – ditto
– Carbon tax backflip by Rudd and Julia – that was Abbott’s fault
– mining tax – that was liberals
– not balancing the budget – liberals
– Gillard caving to the greens on carbon tax – liberals
– BER blowout – Liberals
– Insulation disaster – Liberals
==================================================
So many lies in one post.
rAbbott will be proud
Fran B
Thank you for that post to Centre. I am not eloquent enough.
The nonsense that “only the Greens” are interested in the environment is indeed
“ignorant, frivolous and intellectually reckless”
AussieAchmed
So many lies in one post
I completely agreed, the ALP blaming Abbott for everything was always the greatest lies in Australian politics
It is a lovely day, Tony is Prime Minister, the birds are signing, the sky is more blue, Global warming is crap, they even changed its name, the Liara and backstabber has left politics or are on the back bench, the 2 chief reason that Tony is PM are now trying to be leader of the ALP. Who has got it better then us
[GhostWhoVotes @GhostWhoVotes 24m
#Essential Poll 2 Party Preferred: ALP 49 (+2) L/NP 51 (-2) #auspol]
Woah! First govt in modern history to get NO honeymoon, and lose support immediagtely after election.
Against a leaderless opposition too.
Doesnt surprise me: never has the public had to hold their nose so much to vote ina new government.
Stupid ALP and its NSWitis. thats the only reason we’re here punters.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/technology/peter-dutton-shifts-into-high-gear-for-e-health-overhaul/story-fn4htb9o-1226725516175
Can’t wait to see the snail-like Dutton in “high gear”.
Wonder if the subbie has a sense of humour?
Tonka Boy Tony is seemingly doing his best to become a one term wonder
Victoria 1170
About right time(re Clive’s dark hair etc) but why did Clive tweet it and why did David Oldfield become involved in discussion all very strange and deep???
dovif
Posted Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at 11:38 am | Permalink
AussieAchmed
So many lies in one post
I completely agreed, the ALP blaming Abbott for everything was always the greatest lies in Australian politics
It is a lovely day, Tony is Prime Minister, the birds are signing, the sky is more blue, Global warming is crap, they even changed its name, the Liara and backstabber has left politics or are on the back bench, the 2 chief reason that Tony is PM are now trying to be leader of the ALP. Who has got it better then us
================================================
Now I know you have missed your medication.
Because no-one could be that obtuse and claim sanity
[Tony The Geek Rulz @geeksrulz 4m
The IPA is an Approved Research Institute (ARI) and is eligible for endorsement as a deductible gift recipient (DGR) #auspol]
How did this slip through? Or was someone leant on?
(Rhetorical Q)
mari
I asked ru about it. He could not enlighten on the topic, save to say that Palmer may br alluding to past conversations with Abbott.
lizzie
Posted Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at 11:42 am | Permalink
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/technology/peter-dutton-shifts-into-high-gear-for-e-health-overhaul/story-fn4htb9o-1226725516175
Can’t wait to see the snail-like Dutton in “high gear”.
Wonder if the subbie has a sense of humour?
————————————————-
did he get out of chair? He’s one Liberal that exemplifies;
Nappies should be changed regularly, both for the same reason
Dovif 1186
Enjoy your dream world while you can look at the comment under yours re Essential Poll (Where is the honeymoon? period for Abbott and his motley crew?)
The problem is that the established parties are so used to politics-as-bloodsport that this frequently overrides any concept of policy discussion and formulation in terms of “what is in the best interests of the country”.
The existence of the Greens causes some in the ALP to view destruction of the Greens as a political imperative, sidelining policy discussion and formulation in order to ‘bash the Greens’.
But the same also appears true of some in the Greens – in vying with the ALP for voter support it appears there is a significant portion of the Greens who want to inflict wounds on the ALP ahead of achieving better policy outcomes.
I don’t agree with Boerwar’s assessment that the Greens’ existence is a fundamental impediment to a future progressive-ish government that has the stability to really tackle AGW and preservation of species, but I do see a lot of the political positioning of the Greens in the last 2 parliaments as unhelpful. As is the preoccupation with the destruction of the Greens from the Centres of the world.
The Greens are here to stay. The ALP probably is as well. They have to work out how to be rivals while still being able to share common goals and work towards good policy outcomes, and for any such cooperation to not lead to public distaste for Labor-Greens cooperation.
[GhostWhoVotes @GhostWhoVotes 10m #Essential Poll 2 Party Preferred: ALP 49 (+2) L/NP 51 (-2) #auspol]
So, yeah, about that honeymoon period…
YB
On the contrary, Abbott is looking at least a decade in power. He is keeping a low profile whilst his cronies go about changing direction of the govt
Well, Essential provides some quant support to qualitative assessments: Abbott off to an absolutely shocking start.
No Fran no @ 1179.
I did not say that protecting the environment is purely of interest of the Greens.
The protection of the environment is a matter of interest to many.
So your first paragraph is based on a false proposition. Yawnment!
Para 2. NEXT.
Para 3. Ditto.
Para 4. Sheezus, all I said was that the Greens wanted more than the CPRS, now they get nothing. Ask Combet or Albo if you don’t believe me.
Para 5. hehe 😀
Para 6. Yeah well if I’m revolting, what about the Monkey 😆
Para 7. Oh she’s finished 😈