Division of Capricornia
The Division of Capricornia is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland.
Capricornia Australian House of Representatives Division | |
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![]() Division of Capricornia in Queensland, as of the 2019 federal election. | |
Created | 1901 |
MP | Michelle Landry |
Party | Liberal National |
Namesake | Tropic of Capricorn |
Electors | 102,577 (2019) |
Area | 90,903 km2 (35,097.8 sq mi) |
History
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The division was one of the original 65 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named after the Tropic of Capricorn, which runs through the Division. It is located on the central Queensland coast and its centre has always been the city of Rockhampton. On its current boundaries it also includes the town of Yeppoon and Ooralea, a southern suburb of Mackay.
The first election saw Alexander Paterson, with 51% of votes, narrowly elected over the ALP candidate Wallace Nelson. For most of its subsequent history it has been a fairly safe seat for the ALP. This was especially true when Gladstone was part of the seat from 1901 to 1984. Even after Gladstone was redistributed to Hinkler in 1984 (it is now part of Flynn), it remained one of the few non-metropolitan seats where Labor consistently did well. Labor held it for all but two terms from 1961 to 2013, the two exceptions being the high-tide elections of 1975 and 1996. Its best-known member was Frank Forde, who was briefly Prime Minister of Australia in 1945.
Capricornia is currently held by Michelle Landry for the Liberal National Party who in 2016, became the first conservative MP to serve more than one term in the seat since George Pearce.
Members
Image | Member | Party | Term | Notes | |
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Alexander Paterson (1844–1908) |
Independent Free Trade | 30 March 1901 – 23 November 1903 |
Retired | |
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David Thomson (1856–1926) |
Labour | 16 December 1903 – 12 December 1906 |
Lost seat | |
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Edward Archer (1871–1940) |
Anti-Socialist | 12 December 1906 – 26 May 1909 |
Was the first MP who chose to make an affirmation rather than swearing an oath. Lost seat. Later elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Normanby in 1914 | |
Commonwealth Liberal | 26 May 1909 – 13 April 1910 | ||||
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William Higgs (1862–1951) |
Labor | 13 April 1910 – January 1920 |
Previously a member of the Senate. Served as minister under Hughes. Lost seat | |
Independent | January 1920 – September 1920 | ||||
Nationalist | September 1920 – 16 December 1922 | ||||
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Frank Forde (1890–1983) |
Labor | 16 December 1922 – 28 September 1946 |
Previously held the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Rockhampton. Served as minister under Scullin, Curtin and Chifley. Served as Prime Minister in 1945. Lost seat. Later elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Flinders in 1955 | |
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Charles Davidson (1897–1985) |
Country | 28 September 1946 – 10 December 1949 |
Transferred to the Division of Dawson | |
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George Pearce (1917–) |
Liberal | 10 December 1949 – 9 December 1961 |
Served as Chief Government Whip in the House under Menzies. Lost seat. Currently the oldest living former member of the House of Representatives | |
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George Gray (1903–1967) |
Labor | 9 December 1961 – 2 August 1967 |
Died in office | |
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Dr Doug Everingham (1923–2017) |
Labor | 30 September 1967 – 13 December 1975 |
Served as minister under Whitlam. Lost seat | |
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Colin Carige (1938–2002) |
National Country | 13 December 1975 – 10 December 1977 |
Lost seat | |
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Dr Doug Everingham (1923–2017) |
Labor | 10 December 1977 – 26 October 1984 |
Retired | |
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Keith Wright (1942–2015) |
Labor | 26 October 1984 – 1993 |
Previously held the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Rockhampton. Lost preselection and then lost seat | |
Independent | 1993 – 13 March 1993 | ||||
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Marjorie Henzell (1948–) |
Labor | 13 March 1993 – 2 March 1996 |
Lost seat | |
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Paul Marek (1964–) |
Nationals | 2 March 1996 – 3 October 1998 |
Lost seat | |
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Kirsten Livermore (1969–) |
Labor | 3 October 1998 – 5 August 2013 |
Retired | |
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Michelle Landry (1962–) |
Liberal Nationals | 7 September 2013 – present |
Incumbent |
Election results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal National | Michelle Landry | 36,163 | 40.65 | +0.59 | |
Labor | Russell Robertson | 21,120 | 23.74 | −14.33 | |
One Nation | Wade Rothery | 15,105 | 16.98 | +16.98 | |
Greens | Paul Bambrick | 4,307 | 4.84 | +0.12 | |
Katter's Australian | George Birkbeck | 3,269 | 3.67 | −3.40 | |
United Australia | Lindsay Sturgeon | 3,250 | 3.65 | +3.65 | |
Independent | Ken Murray | 2,211 | 2.49 | −2.35 | |
Conservative National | Grant Pratt | 1,905 | 2.14 | +2.14 | |
Democratic Labour | Richard Temple | 1,637 | 1.84 | +1.84 | |
Total formal votes | 88,967 | 93.67 | −2.76 | ||
Informal votes | 6,008 | 6.33 | +2.76 | ||
Turnout | 94,975 | 92.58 | −0.47 | ||
Two-party-preferred result | |||||
Liberal National | Michelle Landry | 55,475 | 62.35 | +11.72 | |
Labor | Russell Robertson | 33,492 | 37.65 | −11.72 | |
Liberal National hold | Swing | +11.72 |
References
- Capricornia, QLD, Tally Room 2019, Australian Electoral Commission.