Maroubra

Margin: Labor 2.3%
Region: Eastern Sydney
Federal: Kingsford-Smith

Candidates in ballot paper order

	MICHAEL DALEY Labor (top) JAMES CRUZ Greens GEORGIA CONSTANTINOU No Land Tax BRENDAN ROBERTS Liberal (bottom) JACQUIE SHIHA Christian Democratic Party

Held formerly by Bob Carr and currently by Shadow Treasurer Michael Daley, Maroubra includes the northern end of the entrance to Botany Bay, extending west to Little Bay and north to Maroubra itself. The redistribution has shortened its northern coastal territory by transferring South Coogee and its 4500 voters to Coogee, while adding 2400 voters in Daceyville and Pagewood from Heffron in the electorate’s north-west. The changes have added 0.7% to a Labor margin that was slashed from 16.2% to 14.6% at the 2011 election.

Maroubra was created as an electorate in 1950 and has provided a home for two Labor premiers, Bob Heffron from 1950 to 1968 and Bob Carr from 1983 to 2005, with Bill Haigh holding the seat in the interim. Michael Daley won the preselection upon Bob Carr’s departure ahead of several rival candidates from the Right, and polled 58.3% at the ensuing by-election in the absence of a Liberal candidate. Daley was one of five MPs Morris Iemma sought to bring into cabinet in the September 2008 reshuffle, provoking the Right faction rebellion that cost Iemma his job. He still managed to win his promotion in the ensuing wash-up, taking on the role of Roads Minister, and was further elevated to Police Minister in a reshuffle in September 2009.

Daley was mentioned as a possible leadership contender after both the 2011 election defeat and John Robertson’s resignation in December 2014, but he declined to nominate on the former occasion and withdrew on the latter as it became clear that Luke Foley had the numbers.

Corrections, complaints and feedback to William Bowe at pollbludger-at-bigpond-dot-com. Read William’s blog, The Poll Bludger.

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