Everton

Margin: Liberal National 13.2%
Region: Northern Brisbane
Federal: Brisbane/Dickson/Lilley/Ryan

Candidates in ballot paper order

	AIDAN NORRIE Greens JEFF FREW Labor (bottom) TIM MANDER Liberal National (top)

Since its creation in 1972, the inner north-western Brisbane seat of Everton has slipped from Labor’s grasp only in the historic landslides of 1974 and 2012, and it is a measure of Labor’s disaster on the more recent occasion that the Liberal National Party margin should now be well into double figures. Everton covers suburbs on the inland side of the city’s northern suburban corridor, from Everton Park six kilometres north-west of the city to Eatons Hill a further 10 kilometres out.

Everton was held from 1992 to 2009 by Beattie government minister Rod Welford, who came to the seat after serving a term as member for Stafford. Welford was succeeded by Murray Watt, a former chief-of-staff to Anna Bligh who won preselection with the backing of the Left. Watt survived a 9.2% swing in 2009 which formed part of a general backlash against Labor in Brisbane’s north, generally thought to have been driven by the merger of the Mater and Royal Children’s hospitals. That left him with only a 1.4% margin against which to face the tide of 2012, which came in the form of a swing of 14.5%.

The seat has since been held by Tim Mander, a former National Rugby League referee. Mander won immediate promotion to the outer ministry as Assistant Minister for Sport and Racing, then to cabinet in November 2012 as Housing and Public Works Minister, a position vacated by the resignation of Moggill MP Bruce Flegg. Labor’s candidate is Jeff Frew, a tradesman who works at the Arnott’s factory in Virginia.

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

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