Electorate: Maylands

Margin: Labor 8.8%
Region: East Metropolitan
Federal: Perth
Click here for electoral boundaries map

The candidates

Electorate analysis: Maylands has existed as an electorate since 1933 and presently covers the north bank of the Swan River from Maylands east to Ashfield, extending northwards from Bedford and Bayswater to Embleton. The redistribution has added around 1000 voters in Bayswater and Ashfield east of the Tonkin Highway, previously in the seat’s eastern neighbour Bassendean, along with a smaller number constituting the balance of the suburb of Maylands, previously in its western neighbour Mount Lawley. The changes have little effect on the margin, which is down from 9.0% to 8.8%.

Labor has held Maylands without interruption since 1968, the member from 1986 to 1990 being Peter Dowding (previously a member of the upper house), who succeeded Brian Burke as Premier in February 1988 before being cast aside in favour of Carmen Lawrence two years later. Dowding quit parliament immediately thereafter and was succeeded at the ensuing by-election for Maylands by Judy Edwards, who would serve as Environment Minister from 2001 until February 2006. Edwards announced she would quit cabinet concurrently with Geoff Gallop’s departure as Premier and retire at the coming election. Labor then preselected Western Australian Council of Social Services executive director Lisa Baker, who had the backing of the United Voice (“Missos”) sub-faction of the Left.

The Liberals have preselected Sylvan Albert, a Bayswater councillor.

Analysis written by William Bowe. All post-redistribution margins are as calculated by Antony Green at ABC Elections. Read William’s blog, The Poll Bludger.

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