Seat of the week: Hindmarsh

Maintaining the recent South Australian focus ahead of the looming state election, the latest instalment of Seat of the Week takes us to the only electorate in the state to change hands at the September federal election.

Red and blue numbers respectively indicate booths with two-party majorities for Labor and Liberal. Click for larger image. Map boundaries courtesy of Ben Raue at The Tally Room.

Covering coastal Adelaide directly to the west of the city centre, Hindmarsh was the Liberals’ only South Australian gain of the 2013 election, at which Matthew Williams unseated Labor’s member of nine years, Steve Georganas. The electorate was one of seven created when South Australian electoral boundaries were first drawn in 1903, its traditional orientation around the working-class suburbs of north-western Adelaide making it a Labor stronghold for much of its history. The creation of the electorate of Port Adelaide in 1949 made it somewhat less secure, pushing it southwards into more conservative Henley Beach, but only with the 1966 landslide was long-term Labor member Clyde Cameron seriously threatened. The watershed in its progress from safe Labor to marginal came with the abolition of Hawker in 1993, which drew Hindmarsh still further south into Liberal-voting Glenelg. Currently the electorate covers the coast from Semaphore Park south to Glenelg South, from which it extends inland to mostly Labor-voting suburbs including Kidman Park and Torrensville in the north and Morphettville and Ascot Park in the south.

The Liberals’ first ever win in the seat followed the aforementioned redistribution at the 1993 election, which cut the Labor margin by 1.2% concurrently with the retirement of John Scott, who had held the seat since 1980. The Liberal candidate was Christine Gallus, who had become the first Liberal ever to win Hawker in 1990, a feat she duly followed by becoming the first Liberal ever to win Hindmarsh. This was achieved on the back of a 2.8% swing, the losing Labor candidate being John Rau, who has since emerged as a senior figure in the state government. Liberal hard-heads rated Gallus’s vote-pulling power very highly, and were duly dismayed when she decided to retire at the 2004 election. Her departure created an expectation that the seat would fall to Labor’s Steve Georganas, a former taxi driver who won preselection for the 2004 election with backing from the “soft Left” faction. So it proved, but the 1.2% swing to Labor was only enough to secure the deal by 108 votes. The unsuccessful Liberal candidate was Simon Birmingham, who went on to enter the Senate in 2007.

Georganas’s margin increased by 5.0% in 2007 and 0.7% in 2010, but these were modest gains by the standards of Labor’s performance in South Australia, leaving him on a weaker margin than Labor colleagues in Makin, Kingston and Wakefield, which unlike Hindmarsh had stayed with the Liberals in 2004. The margin going into the 2013 election was nonetheless a solid 6.1%, having been boosted slightly by redistribution, but this was accounted for by a forceful swing to the Liberals of 8.0%, the largest in the state. The seat is now held by Matt Williams, who had previously been national business development manager with law firm Piper Alderman.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

448 comments on “Seat of the week: Hindmarsh”

Comments Page 5 of 9
1 … 4 5 6 … 9

  1. BK and GG on FIRE!! with the ‘Tony Jones’ and ‘Barnaby Joyce’ comments re: Q&A panel.

    I am well aware that there are glued-on fans of Q&A but I am one for whom the program inspires a level of detestation that I find difficult to articulate.

    I can perhaps sum it up as “disappointed”. It always promises such meaty subject matter, but delivers the informational equivalent of ‘pink slime’.

    I have never watched a whole episode, and on the half-dozen or so occasions I have tried, I rarely last longer than 5-10 minutes.

    And they usually feature some reasonably high-calibre (ahem) guests.

    I can’t work out why the whole is so much less than the sum of its parts.

    What is it about the show’s format I wonder that inspires such loyalty amongst its audience, but which seems also to turn off others with equally fierce abandon?

  2. A question for our South Australian patrons. S.A. gifted the nation the prissy Lord Downer of Bagdad who was replaced in the appalling stakes by mega prissy Pyne. Are there any Pyne replacements on the horizon that the nation can look forward to ?

  7. Al Dnte post 201
    _____________
    Re Q+A…you have summed up my ideas perfectly

    I agree wholly with all you said..and always feel that while I want to see what’s happening and what the Hi-profile quests are saying,I always end feeling,as you said…disappointed
    Great comment thanks for summing up my feelings too

  8. poroti
    And there was a follow up to that Wizard of Id cartoon where Troob was asking the king what was going to stop the peasants from revolting.
    “Lack of funds!” was the reply from the despotic regent.

  9. poroti 202
    Can’t say for sure what’s waiting in the wings but S.A. certainly excretes above its weight when it comes to producing appalling Liberals. If they win the upcoming state election we may get a glimpse of what they’ve got.

  10. Al,

    The problem with the format is that it panders to the “all opinions are of equal value” school of democratic thinking. It therefore simplifies quite complex arguments in to “yay and nay” or “boo and cheer” type responses, it deifies those who speak “urban myth” and celebrates the mediocrity of the minds that pass as intellectuals in this country.

    Keating was right when he said Labor Ministers should give it a wide berth.

  11. lizzie

    She may be returning to her roots. What with Margie and her family having been such strong Kiwi Labour party supporters……and members. Tones’ pretense of catholic social activism and concern for the poor folk has been stripped off at a great rate of knots.

  12. Regarding QandA I think it would be much improved if Stephen Fry was host. Even just as guest host would be good. Show how its done.

  15. The problems with QandA are, IMO

    Tony Jones treats it like an ep of Lateline and often interrupts panel as he tries for political gotchas.
    The questions chosen are too obviously chosen for gotchas.
    Too many panellists, some of whom hardly contribute at all.
    Tony Jones…
    Too many pollies…
    Tony Jones…

  16. [Headline
    PM brings rain to desperate farmers on his tour of drought affected areas like Bourke and Longreach]

    Great, Abbott rains on Farmers and pisses on everybody else’s jobs. 🙁

  17. Al Dente and Deblonay

    Gave up on Q and A early in the piece. Seems designed for politicians to do what they do best. Repeat their slogans and quick quips practised for hours before. jones role, from what hear now, seems to be to stop the discussion developing any depth. Many a time I have followed the program on here and seen someone days “jones cut them off”.
    And I know I am a dinosaur but twitter just turns be off. What, pray tell, am I supposed the concentrate on? What someone is saying or what some idiot is tweeting and is displayed on the screen? I have the same problem with Sky news and programs I that ilk. I want to listen to what some body is saying and I can’t do that and read a caption at the same time. Probably a muddle aged white male thing …

  19. RE comedian on QandA…….. Is Barnarby Joyce ever anything more than a failed comedian ??

    He seems to look for and play for..laughs…and isn’t either witty or amusing….

    You can see how far the Nats have fallen when you compare him with some of their clever ,tough ,cunning leaders of the past…and he seems hopeless as Agric Minister

    McEwan/Anthony/Sinclair and many others would groan to see the state of the Nats leadership now
    Poor old boring TRuzzzz and silly Barnarby

  22. “@ABCNews24: .@TonyAbbottMHR: I am confident that this Government is deeply in tune with the needs of regional Australia #auspol”

  23. lizzie

    Posted Sunday, February 16, 2014 at 2:53 pm | Permalink

    Why didn’t Margie go with Tony so that she could talk to the farmers’ wives? They’re doing it hard, too.
    ===============================================

    She had to stay home and do the ironing

  24. “@ABCNews24: .@TonyAbbottMHR: I think farming is going to be a very significant part of our economic future #auspol #droughttour”

    Going on his record be very worried farmers

  25. It had been known since about Wednesday last week that there was a high probability of rain in many drought affected areas this weekend . Abbott hasnt been seen west of the divide for months but suddenly he is out and about. Coincidence? Yeah just like the extreme weather events in Europe, North America, Australia and Asia in the last few week are a coincidence.

  26. guytaur

    I’ll say it again about his cynicism and shallowness. A week ago the NFF complained about his utter lack of visits to the bush since the election. About his not coming to see the effects of the drought. A statement from ” The PM’s office” said that such visits are very hard to fit in.
    Now at that stage rains were not on the horizon and the incinerator temperatures continued.
    The day news BK would have blessed relief from the heatwave and rain would spread across drought affected areas we had news that Abbott had time to visit drought affected areas. What a lucky coincidence 🙂

  27. [I think farming is going to be a very significant part of our economic future]

    I’m speechless. Such insight! What a wielder of the cliché!

  28. [Abbott hasnt been seen west of the divide for months]

    I don’t think he’s been over here since the election. That will change if there’s a Senate re-run.

  30. guytaur

    Posted Sunday, February 16, 2014 at 3:10 pm | Permalink

    “@ABCNews24: .@TonyAbbottMHR: I am confident that this Government is deeply in tune with the needs of regional Australia #auspol”
    ==============================================

    Then gives a NBN that is 21st Century and not a piece of string and a coupla tin cans

  31. Danny Lewis @48,

    I’ll just put it out there that Garden City Plastics aren’t particularly trustworthy either. I won’t say too much, as I haven’t been there myself, but the management apparently don’t have much regard for their workers so this kind of blame-shifting doesn’t surprise me.

    [When Mr Abbott visited Garden City Plastics in Victoria’s Monbulk in 2011, he predicted its bills would rise by $300,000 a year under the carbon tax. General manager Graeme Wilson, who said he was not a political party member, said his bills went up ”a little bit higher than that – about $400,000”.]

    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/fairfax-revisits-tony-abbotts-carbon-tax-warnings-20140215-32svg.html#ixzz2tSGdlLXZ

  32. That notorious Chinese pirate, Captain Wong, has been eying up the territory of those two Australian buccaneers, Scoot Morrison and his mate, Three-Star.

    He has heard about their Operation Sovereign Borders, but, due to the information being relayed to him via Chinese Whispers, he thinks the Australian sea-dogs have plenty of gold sovereigns and postal orders.

    So he gets his armada of junks and sampans together and sets sail for Australia. Sing along with Captain Wong as he tries to put one over on Scoot and Three-Star, who are on board their flagship, HMAS Orange Lifeboat. Cue: “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arpZ3fCwDEw

    We all sailed down from Shanghai
    To the Territory shoreline.
    To make off with some sovereigns
    We didn’t have much time
    So Bad Scooter and Ol’ Three-Star
    Were snug in bed fast asleep
    Bailed ‘em up with a pea-shooter
    The heroes started to weep
    Scoot went to water…proper filled his daks
    Scoot went to water…

    Pulled ‘em outta their hammocks
    Standing there in their night-shirts
    Asked ‘em where they stashed the sovereigns
    Said if they came clean, no-one would get hurt
    Told ‘em it all was over
    They better squeal and spill the beans
    If they didn’t cough up the loot
    I’d show ‘em how I can get so mean
    Scoot went to water…proper filled his daks
    Scoot went to water…

    I pulled out my water pistol
    The one that was made in Hong Kong
    Said I’d drench ‘em if they didn’t sing their song and
    Give ‘em a Chinese burn
    With a few more threats, it was obvious
    They didn’t have a clue
    So we marooned ‘em on an island
    An’ made off in their lifeboat brand new
    Scoot went to water…proper filled his daks
    Scoot went to water…

    I think we did alright
    Getting the better of those two nongs
    So when it comes to the pirate stakes
    It’s clear two whites don’t make a Wong
    But what are they gonna do
    When a real Chinese fleet sails by
    Scoot’ll need his brown trousers
    Cos he’ll have completely filled his Kleins

    http://www.smh.com.au/world/chinas-military-might-is-australias-new-defence-reality-20140214-32rb1.html

  33. ABC News 24 ‏@ABCNews24 · 7m
    .@TonyAbbottMHR: I think farming is going to be a very significant part of our economic future #auspol #droughttour

    ============================

    Another Abbott initiative – farming- who would have thought!!????

  34. The problem with QandA is there are two many panel members and there is always someone that has limited knowledge of the subject matter and just seems to be there so the show can say it listens to that group in society.

    They need no more than four on the panel, one member of the government and one from the opposition then maybe someone from the business or community sectors.

    The show could do with a new host but the ABC doesn’t have that many potential candidates for the role.

  35. [I am confident that this Government is deeply in tune with the needs of regional Australia]

    It’s these sorts of empty, meaningless statements that shit me, and which are emblematic of the patronising stunts the coalition pull, like him turning up to greet farmers with 2-day stubble, banging along in a rusty old ute.

  36. Bugler

    It was so obvious that only Lib supporters would contribute to that piece that I wondered how the editor had the gall to accept it.

  37. confessions

    A 2-day stubble? The farmers would be grateful to produce any stubble atm 😀

    Seriously, tho, was that supposed to imply that he’d trecked across Oz for two days to reach them!!

  38. lizzie:

    I guess it’s meant to portray him as a rough and worn, works with his hands kinda guy. The ute is a complete mystery though.

  39. “@SenKimCarr: If Toyota Australia was ‘going anyway’ why have they been working on a new investment strategy for the last 2.5 years?”

  41. poroti

    [Posted Sunday, February 16, 2014 at 3:28 pm | Permalink
    Your comment is awaiting moderation. ]
    Oi Wilbo ! What have you got against Doc Neeson ? 😆

  42. Oh wow, they get better:

    [A small manufacturing business owner who hosted a visit from Mr Abbott but asked not to be named, said his overheads had risen by about 15 per cent since July 2012. ”It’s hidden now; you don’t know how much more is from the carbon tax”, he said.
    The business owner, a long-time member of the Liberal Party, predicted in 2011 that the tax would force him to sack his 16 staff and move his operations overseas. Almost three years later, he admitted he had since hired two more staff but insisted the effect had been ”100 per cent” as bad as expected: ”I think it’s been worse.”]

    The cost is “hiding”, and the actual condition of the business isn’t relevant, apparently.

  43. Confessions

    Abbott didn’t really turn up unshaven, did he? please say it isn’t so. If he did it is the ultimate expression of what a fraud he is. No farmer I know, and I knew a few through the ex’s family, would be so uncouth to turn up at meeting with a PM unshaven.

  47. rossmcg:

    I’m only going on the photos I’ve seen in the articles about his visit. I’d like to think he didn’t either, but nothing would surprise me with him.

  48. Have I got this right? So Tony rode his trusty old Malvern Star from his modest abode in Sydney to the drought affected inland region, but got a flat tyre 50 km from his destination and then had to hitch a lift in a rusty ute the rest of the way. During this time he also dropped to his knees and prayed for rain, which promptly came, thus saving the farmers for ever and ever. What a guy. He didn’t have time for a shave, though.

  49. Confessions

    It was bad enough when John Howard used to dig out the R M Williams gear for his rural vists. Mind you I have seen a few labor pollies do that as well.
    Trying to be something they are not. I doubt that people these days would be impressed by what someone is wearing. We have moved on from that. I think it is amusing when we see some politicians from overseas minus the uniform jacket and tie. Our lot ritually dress up for the Saturday press conference at home. Just looks stupid.

Comments Page 5 of 9
1 … 4 5 6 … 9

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *