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| Teal numbers indicate majority for Liberal National Party. Grey indicates Katter’s Australian Party. Click for larger image. Map boundaries courtesy of Ben Raue at The Tally Room. |
Bob Katter’s seat of Kennedy covers 568,993 square kilometres of northern Queensland, accounting for over 30% of the state’s surface area. It covers two disconnected coastal areas, one being a 250 kilometre stretch of the east coast from the southern suburbs of Cairns through Innisfail to Toomulla 35 kilometres north Townsville, the other being the thinly populated Gulf of Carpentaria coast from the Northern Territory border to the southern part of Cape York Peninsula. The remainder encompasses rural and outback territory including Mount Isa and most of the Northern Territory border.
Kennedy was one of 16 seats out of 75 which Labor won at the first federal election in 1901, and it remained in Labor hands until Nationalist candidate Grosvenor Francis was elected unopposed after sitting member Charles McDonald died during the 1925 election campaign. This prompted the change in the Electoral Act which causes the poll for a given electorate to be cancelled and held at a later time if a candidate dies during the campaign, which most recently had effect in Newcastle at the 1998 election. Francis retained the seat at the 1928 election, but it returned to Labor when Jim Scullin’s government came to power in 1929. It next changed hands in 1966 when the national anti-Labor swing combined with the loss of retiring veteran William Riordan’s personal vote delivered a narrow victory to the Country Party candidate, Bob Katter Sr.
Katter’s majority increased at each of the next five elections, and he was further boosted when the 1969 redistribution removed Labor-voting Bowen and added Charters Towers. The 1984 redistribution was less kind, returning the seat to the marginal zone by pushing it into the southern reaches of the Cape York Peninsula. It returned to Labor for one term when Katter retired in 1990, the winning member being Rob Hulls, later to return to politics in Victoria as a senior figure in the Bracks-Brumby government. Hulls was defeated at the 1993 election by Bob Katter Jr, who had represented the local area in state parliament since 1974. Katter cemented his position with a double-digit swing in 1996, and his primary vote increased further after he parted company with the Nationals ahead of the 2001 election.
Katter comfortably topped the poll at next three elections, although he faded from 47.1% to 39.5% in 2007 before rebounding to 46.7% in 2010. The 2010 election result left him as one of three rural independents holding the balance of power in a hung parliament, and he appeared to play the most adroit game of the three in unenthusiastically declaring his hand for the Coalition after the determination of the other two to back Labor had rendered it a moot point. He then set about expanding his political empire with the establishment of Katter’s Australian Party, which polled 11.5% at the Queensland state election of March 2012 amid a collapse in support for Labor and elected two members: his son Robbie Katter to the seat of Mount Isa, and former Liberal National Party member Shane Knuth to his existing seat of Dalrymple.
However, the rise of Katter’s Australian Party was firmly checked at the 2013 election, at which its vote across Queensland was just 3.7% and its bid to get country singer James Blundell elected to the Senate was singularly unsuccessful. Most disappointingly of all for the party, Katter struggled to win re-election in Kennedy for the first time, his primary vote down 17.4% to 29.3% against 40.8% for Liberal National Party candidate Noeline Ikin, the former chief executive of the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group. Katter prevailed after preferences by a margin of 2.1%, down 16.2% from 2010. The poor performance was variously attributed to the advertising budget and related electoral success of the Palmer United Party, and a poorly received preference deal with Labor. The terms of the deal delivered Labor preferences to Blundell in the Senate, and Katter preferences to Labor in six Queensland lower house seats it was desperate to win, though in no case would it do so.
If you don’t understand guytaur I can’t really help you. maybe ask Adam to explain it to you.
How long will it take for Abbott and his Coalition-of-Four to lose the Triple A ratings?
Took Colon the WA Liberal Premier just over 4 years.
Back from shopping. What am I explaining to whom?
Jackol
The bottom line is that dirty politics should not be played with this serious issue. There should be a bi partisan approach. Ultimately, no one wants to see people smugglers make a roaring trade by putting people on leaky boats. The continual requirement by our navy to rescue people and pick up the dead is not wanted by anyone. The fact that the coalition have used this issue to garner support is sickening
Adam , guytaur seems to believe the Un can actually stop wars by passing resolutions from New York saying they are bad things.
US Ambassador John Berry is on the Coodabeens 🙂
Victoria – I agree with all your points in your post 154, but none of that alters the fact that it is in the ALP’s interests to see the boats stopped, and it is in the ALP’s interests to not magnify the political credit Abbott will get when the LNP manage to do so.
[Adam , guytaur seems to believe the Un can actually stop wars by passing resolutions from New York saying they are bad things.]
They can if all the Security Council permanent members agree. Otherwise it’s all just hot air. And since the fascist gangster Putin is determined to prop up his boy Bashir, the UN can’t do anything about Syria.
abcnews 13h
Updated: For the second time in 24 hours, Australian authorities try to return asylum seekers to Indonesia http://bit.ly/18uOKy9
ESJ
That is what you are saying.
I said diplomacy won not war in this case. This fact confirmed with the UN passing the resolution.
This is fact no matter how you try and spin it.
There you go Guytaur , Adams 158 puts it pretty succinctly, do you understand now ?
not going to believe this
I did a link then went back
to post text
and saw come off the screen
text gone
ESJ
There you go what I have said and what Psephos said are in agreement.
Do you understand now?
It’s probably the government surveillance of you my say, quick head for the shelter in the back yard.
As far as it goes I think the official ALP lines on this matter have been taking the right approach, although of course the ALP has been absorbed in other matters. I’m mainly talking about ALP supporters carrying on about how the boats haven’t stopped in the first 2 weeks of the LNP tenure.
And I’d advise a bit of historical perspective in this as well. In opposition Julia Gillard (in)famously declared that every boat arrival under Howard was a sign of policy failure, and that didn’t end well for the ALP.
Guytaur refer my 151.
jackol
Only because the ALP panicked. Worst thing Rudd did was to delay processing. It gave an illusion of crisis.
ESJ
Go away Mr spinner. My statement was clear and you tried to make it the anything but what I said.
“@sallie6youtube: Scott Morrison’s phone number for all those wishing to make personal enquiries about asylum seekers
phone
(02) 9523 0339
Fax
(02) 9523 8959”
Nemspy
[The problem with Fran’s argument here, also, is the fact that if you’re prepared to say people should risk their lives to come to Australia then you’re essentially advocating an open-door policy.]
I’m not ‘essentially’ advocating anything of the sort. The only ‘essential’ thing I’m advocating is not punishing people for the manner of their passage, in a futile attempt to prejudice the calculus of other suffering people. It’s not for me to tell people how to work out what serves them best, all things considered, though some of the apologists for Australian policy seem to think this is a role the Australian government is trying to fulfil. I call that cant or arrant stupidity.
Tellingly though, you reveal that your substantive concern is not ‘drownings’ but immigration by ostensibly undesirable people. Points for candour with only a 50% discount for not being direct.
[Should all the crappy countries in the world just be abandoned or should the residents, perhaps, make an effort to do something about it. Sure, perhaps they are risking death, but isn’t that better than a life of abject misery?]
Yes it is, but so is fleeing for your life and trying to make a new life some place else. Which is better? I admit that it’s going to be a case by case thing. People often misapprehend their best interests, but the first right of every person is to prefer their judgement to that of others, save in cases where a clear and equally pressing externality would be imposed.
“@GeorgeBludger: Where are all those Liberal voters who were outraged by deaths at sea under Labor? Cleaning out their bongs & organising for a new keg?”
Where the “budget emergency”?
Why isn’t Hockey introducing a new budget to address the so-called ’emergency’?
guytaur – there are many reasons why the ALP screwed this up. But they did screw it up. Whether you’re a rabid anti-boaty, or the bleedingest-of-hearts, the ALP failed to satisfy anyone, and managed to vastly increase the number of people in detention centres.
Because they screwed it up, the ALP have nowhere to go on this. They can’t take a moral high ground they conceded completely in the last 4 years; they can’t claim to have the answer to ‘stop the boats’, since they didn’t do it in office (well, not until the very end with the PNG solution and that’s a very tricky thing to get any mileage out of).
I’m also not pretending to advise Greens supporters – the Greens have had a consistent position on this (that I disagree with, but that’s irrelevant). The Greens can and will make as much mileage out of this as they can, and good luck to them. If there is a strong feeling in the general Australian public that we should have a relaxed “open door” policy on boats, then the Greens should pick up voter support over this issue.
Jackol, I agree that becoming all excited in assuming that Abbott will fail is a mistake, and so too the Labor party announcing such an expectation. That goes (separately) for both boats and negotiations with Indonesia.
However, assuming the negotiations are successful and boats still keep setting out, there is every chance Abbott will simply fudge it using secrecy and the symbolism of processing people in Indonesia. Should Labor just let that go?
jackol
See members questions at leaders debates. It is clear there is a fair amount of support for going back to pre Howard policies.
That is on shore processing with a short detention period to address security concerns.
Labor can and should hit the reset button to that. Core Labor values over decades the last few years being the aberration,
It’s a waste of time trying to explain that under the UN Convention of which Australia is a signatory that seeking asylum as a refugee is not illegal.
Nor is the means by which a refugee travels to a country to seek asylum illegal.
They are either so “brain” washed, xenophobic or stupid they do not understand or do not want to understand because that would undermine their position.
Australia has taken over 7 million refugees over the years.
jakol
the libs must be enjoying your posts
these are not ordinary times
you know
jackol
I should have added that means undoing the exclusion zones. Then the drowning at sea problem reverts to what it was pre Howard as well
Kirkpatrick @daveyk317 54s
Aussies :a 2 degree increase in global average temperature (best case scenario) translates to 6 degrees more on extreme days. #ClimateCrisis
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Display Name –
Absolutely not. If, in 6 months’ time, there is a steady stream of boats and the government is doing dodgy non-disclosure to try and cover up what is going on, they should be absolutely crucified for it.
I’ve said the “secret squirrel” nonsense (both in terms of the releasing of official information in a timely manner on boat handling, but also in terms of Abbott and the Government trying to hide from regular media scrutiny) should be attacked. It’s corrosive to democracy, and it’s just plain dumb.
As guytaur points out, Labor does in fact have a short term avenue for resetting their position/policies, and that is a push from members. That assumes there are enough members who want it and that they have a say :P.
In the long term, time can change a lot anyway.
my say
In Sydney that means hottest days would be 52 degrees
If the current system settings are maintained by the ALP I will continue to urge an informal vote at Federal level.
If this precedent is establsihed and the ALP decides henceforth that all controversial areas of policy should be conceded to the coalition I may well form the view that effectively preferncing the coalition would be the lesser harm, because at least then the true authors of policy would get to implement it. Also, my vote would be counted.
India is to get a voting option I’ve long thought should be available.
[NEW DELHI: In a landmark judgement on Friday, the Supreme Court for the first time allowed voters to cast negative vote by pressing a button saying none of the candidates is worthy of his vote. (Highlights)
The SC asked the Election Commission to provide None Of The Above (NOTA) button on EVMs and ballot papers.
The apex court said the right to vote and the right to say NOTA are both part of basic right of voters.
“When a large number of voters will press NOTA button, it will force political parties to choose better candidates. Negative voting would lead to systemic change in polls,” the apex bench observed.]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Supreme-Court-gives-voters-right-to-reject-all-candidates/articleshow/23144039.cms
frednk@29
Thanks for posting that link and while I am at it, thanks for your answer to my question on the previous thread.
I entirely agree with Beattie when he writes:
[Involving the party membership in the election of Labor’s federal leader is arguably one of the smartest things Rudd did in office. It has rejuvenated the party at a time of electoral defeat and moved the focus away from the internal blame game to the party’s future direction.
It has also left the past leadership rivalry between Julia Gillard and Rudd firmly in the hands of the historians; the contest between Shorten and Albanese is repositioning Labor as a credible alternative much more quickly than would normally be the case. This is good for the national parliament and Australia.
Credit must go to both contenders for the positive way in which they are conducting the contest; they have clearly learned the lessons from the bitter internal fights of the past. I introduced Shorten in Sydney and I’m supporting his leadership bid but, as Shorten said in his address, if Albanese wins the party leadership Shorten will work just as hard to win government at the next election.
That is the new spirit in the Labor Party, so sadly missing over the past six years, and the party membership across the country is delighted to see this leadership maturity. This is a new chapter of “the team” being more important than any “messiah”. As one party member said to me after the speech, “It’s about bloody time we all grew up”.
The real question for the Labor Party is whether this new-found unity is enough to rebuild for long-term government.
Opposition is a time for visionary policies and we are starting to see that from Shorten and Albanese. It is also a time to reshape and broaden the party base; to do otherwise would miss the opportunity to renew for the long term.]
Some good news on the innovation front
http://blog.moorescloud.com/2013/09/28/location-location-location-2/?utm_campaign=light_blog&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Padraic Gibson @paddygibson 12h
Activists occupy dept of immigration in Darwin protesting deportation of West Papuan asylum seekers via @natwasley http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2013/09/27/325447_ntnews.html …
Why does everything guytaur writes sound like he’s dictating a telegram?
Is this the influence of twitter on the language? Is being economical with your words becoming second nature to heavy twitter users? Are they speaking like this in everyday conversations in real life?
Battle
Don’t like it don’t read it.
visivoz 8m
So Abbott did not “run”… ‘more of a brisk walk to his car’ – run/walk – still refusing to answer Qs. PM – joke! @AndrewBGreene @Maybeee2011
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just JenRed @JustJen64 3m
@visivoz @AndrewBGreene @Maybeee2011 @TonyAbbottMHR <— THE MOST GUTLESS FUCKER we have ever had as PM http://www.smh.com.au/national/asylum-seekers-drown-on-way-to-australia-20130927-2uk3r.html …
View summary
guytuar
is putting tweets on the screen don’t you see the difference
tweets give out information that is quick,
lol so you thought he wrote them all,
its new its modern
and yes there where telegrams in the 1950/60 phnes you had to yell in to
then we had telex machines then better phones now mobile and computers
one rode push bikes to deliver telegrams
deaths at war ect, during Vietnam even
remember those days I do
national service will it be coming back
to your sons and grandsons any day soon
Why is everyone setting up some test for Tony Abbott and the coalition where they apparently fail if they “offend” Indonesia?
What is so wrong with “offending” Indonesia? Have you considered that perhaps, in certain circumstances and with the merits of both country’s viewpoints considered, Indonesia may deserve to be “offended”.
Acting all “offended” is classic passive aggressive behaviour, most often seen in children.
guytuar
he thinks the tweets are all written by yourself that
liberals world
backwards
View this content on smh.com.au’s website
Asylum seekers drown on way to Australia
About 20 people, mostly children under 15 years old, died when an asylum seeker vessel sank off the southern coast of Java on their way to Australia.
View on web smh.com.au/national/asylum-seekers-drown-on-way-to-australia-20130927-2uk3r.html …
The move by the Labor Party to have its leadership election involving the membership will result in the most democratically elected Party Leader in Australia.
The Leader will not be tainted with claims of “faceless” men or elected by the tainted vote of one MP
Gate @LockTheGate 27m
200m of steel drill pipes blown into air in CSG mishap at Casino. Industry PR different from reality http://www.northernstar.com.au/news/a-dangerous-incident-that-occurred-during-the-deco/2033819/ …
Retweeted by Gratton Wilson
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BT
[What is so wrong with “offending” Indonesia? Have you considered that perhaps, in certain circumstances and with the merits of both country’s viewpoints considered, Indonesia may deserve to be “offended”.]
I accept your point but try subbing “United States” for “Indonesia” in that passage and see if it still works for you.
Well it would seem a rescue in Indonesian waters by the Australian Navy has Psephos and
Edward St John claiming a victory for Mr Abbott.
I wonder if the ship was off the coast by 40KM as claimed by the ABC and it was still in Indonesian waters because the baseline is defined by points not the shore, or if the ABC got the distance wrong also.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/27/australian-immigration-and-asylum-indonesia
[he thinks the tweets are all written by yourself]
This is not correct my say. I am not a twitter user myself, but know enough to identify something starting with @ as a copy-and-pasted tweet. Although I do confess it is sometimes hard to know if the name at the start of the tweet is the person who has written it, or the person it is addressed to.
[remember those days I do
national service will it be coming back
to your sons and grandsons any day soon]
A lot of us wish that some form of National Service would come back my say, but I think the chances of it are pretty much zero.
guytuar
do you follow
tony p grant
have a look
want post tweet here
u can if want