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Victoria

Victorian government’s climate change package

Larvatus Prodeo - July 27, 2010 - 12:33pm

It will take a while to go through Victorian Government’s climate change white paper, so I won’t try to pronounce judgement the quality of the individual actions proposed. At first glance, shutting down part of Hazelwood is a good start. Replacing it with new-build coal – even if the emissions intensity of the replacement is half that of Hazelwood – not so great.

One thing that seems clear from the document, though, is that Brumby and Victorian Labor have come to a rather different judgment to federal Labor on the politics of climate change. Aside from targeting a headline reduction in CO2 emissions greater than the national average (which is, admittedly, easier to do when your electricity is currently generated by burning carboniferous mud and running the resulting lukewarm steam through National Trust classified turbines), the document strongly calls for a price on carbon. Read more »

Seat profile #140: Bendigo

The Tally Room - July 10, 2010 - 1:00pm

Bendigo is a marginal Labor seat in western Victoria. Bendigo is an original federation electorate which has been held by different parties throughout its history. The seat was held by Prime Minister Billy Hughes from 1917 to 1922, and was the only seat Hughes held outside the Sydney area. The seat was also held by John Brumby from 1984 to 1990, long before he became Victorian premier. The seat was won by the ALP’s Steve Gibbons in 1998, and he was re-elected in 2001, 2004 and 2007.

The seat covers Bendigo itself and surrounding areas, including Castlemaine and Maryborough.

Seat profile #138: Wannon

The Tally Room - July 8, 2010 - 10:15am

Wannon is a Liberal seat in southwestern Victoria. The seat borders South Australia and runs along Bass Strait as far east as Corangamite Shire. The seat covers the towns of Warrnambool, Ararat, Portland and Stawell, as well as the Grampians.

The seat has been held by David Hawker since 1983. Hawker served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2005 to 2007. The seat was previously held by Malcolm Fraser, who originally lost the seat at his first attempt in 1954 by a 17-vote margin before winning the seat comfortably in 1955.

Seat profile #135: Indi

The Tally Room - July 5, 2010 - 10:15am

Indi is a seat in North-Eastern Victoria. The seat covers parts of the Victorian border with New South Wales, and the towns of Wodonga, Wangaratta and Yackandandah.

Indi has always been dominated by conservative parties, and was held by the Country Party’s John McEwen from 1937 to 1949. The seat has been held since 2001 by the Liberal Party’s Sophie Mirabella. The seat was one of the safest in the country after the 2004 election, and is now held by a 9.2% margin.

Seat profile #133: Flinders

The Tally Room - July 2, 2010 - 10:15am

Flinders is a relatively safe Liberal seat to the south east of Melbourne. The seat covers the Mornington Peninsula and areas around Western Port.

The seat was held by Prime Minister Stanley Bruce until he became the first Prime Minister to lose his own seat at the 1929 election.

The seat has been held by Greg Hunt since 2001. Hunt is now Shadow Minister for the Environment. He holds the seat by an 8.3% margin.

Seat profile #141: Brand

The Tally Room - July 11, 2010 - 1:00pm

Brand is a Labor seat to the south of Perth. The seat covers coastal areas from Kwinana to Mandurah, with a majority of the seat’s population living in the Rockingham council area.

The seat has existed since the 1984 election, and has always been held by the ALP, but isn’t held by a large margin. The seat was held by Kim Beazley from 1996 to 2007. Beazley had previously held the marginal seat of Swan from 1980 to 1996, and had served as a minister in the Hawke-Keating government. Beazley served as Labor leader from 1996 to 2001 and from 2005 to 2006. Beazley retired in 2007.

Brand was won in 2007 by Gary Gray, a former ALP national secretary.

Seat profile #139: Ballarat

The Tally Room - July 9, 2010 - 10:15am

The seat of Ballarat is a relatively safe Labor seat in northwestern Victoria. The seat covers the town of Ballarat itself and surrounding areas, including towns such as Bacchus Marsh.

The seat has been held by the ALP’s Catherine King since 2001, who won it upon the retirement of previous Liberal member Michael Ronaldson (who has now returned as a Senator). The seat has swung back and forth between the major parties since ever since Alfred Deakin retired from the seat a century ago, but has been solidified by King over the last few years, and she now holds the seat by an 8.2% margin.

Seat profile #137: Mallee

The Tally Room - July 7, 2010 - 10:15am

Mallee is a safe Nationals seat in northwestern Victoria. Mallee covers the towns of Mildura, Swan Hill, Horsham and Warracknabeal. The seat borders both New South Wales and South Australia.

Mallee is held by Nationals MP John Forrest by a 21% margin. Forrest has held the seat since 1993. Mallee is the safest Coalition seat in the country.

Seat profile #134: Gippsland

The Tally Room - July 3, 2010 - 1:00pm

Gippsland is a large electorate covering most of the East Gippsland region in Victoria. The seat also covers most of the Latrobe Valley. The seat stretches as far west as Traralgon and Morwell, and contains other towns such as Sale.

The seat is a solid National Party seat, despite a relatively slim 5.9% margin. The seat has been held by the National Party and its predecessor Country Party continously since 1922. It was held by Peter McGauran from 1983 until 2008, when he retired. The following by-election was won by Darren Chester, defeating challenges from the Liberal Party and ALP.

Seat profile #130: Calwell

The Tally Room - June 29, 2010 - 10:15am

Calwell is a very safe Labor seat in the outer northern suburbs of Melbourne. Calwell covers most of Hume council area, and includes the suburbs of Broadmeadows, Craigieburn, Sunbury and Tullamarine.

The seat has been held by Maria Vamvakinou since 2001, who won the seat off Andrew Theophanous, who had been a Labor member until he was accused of allegations of migration fraud in 2000 and became an independent MP.