2009 Higgins by-election

May 2020 January 2012 2009 Higgins by-election Australia parliamentary no 2007 Australian federal election 2007 5 December 2009 2010 Australian federal election 2010 Division of Higgins Kelly O'Dwyer 150x150px Liberal Party of Australia 36,421 54.6% 0.96pp Clive Hamilton 150x150px Australian Greens 21,628 32.4% 21.65pp TPP TPP swing 60.23% 39.77% 3.19pp 39.77pp Higgins-2007-in-Melbourne.png 250px Location of Higgins within metropolitan Melbourne MP Peter Costello Liberal Party of Australia Kelly O'Dwyer Liberal Party of Australia The 2009 Higgins by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives Division of Higgins on 5 December 2009.Higgins, Bradfield by-elections announced, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 26 October 2009. This was triggered by the resignation of former treasurer and former Liberal Party deputy leader Peter Costello.http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26177931-601,00.html Peter Costello to resign from federal Parliament: The Australian 7/10/2009 The Australian 2010-06-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20091008121723/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26177931-601,00.html 8 October 2009 dead The by-election was held on the same day as the Bradfield by-election. It was contested on the same boundaries drawn for Higgins at the 2007 federal election. At that election, the Liberal Party won the seat over the Labor Party with 57.04 per cent of the vote on a two-party-preferred basis, the closest result in the seat's 60-year history. The Liberal candidate has never had to go to preferences to win the seat. The writ for the by-election was issued on 30 October, with the rolls closing on 9 November. Candidate nominations closed 12 November, and were announced the following day.https://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/supplementary_by_elections/2009-higgins/candidates.htm Candidates for Higgins (Vic) 2009 by-election (Saturday 5 December) AEC 8 June 2007 2010-06-25 The Labor Party did not nominate a candidate. Both the Higgins and Bradfield by-elections were the last by-elections for the House of Representatives until the 2014 Griffith by-election. Background Costello first won the seat of Higgins at the 1990 federal election, and retained the seat in the six subsequent elections. At the 2007 federal election, the opposition Kevin Rudd-led Labor Party defeated the incumbent John Howard-led Liberal-National coalition government. This marked the first change of government in over 11 years. Costello was deputy Liberal leader since 1994, firstly under Alexander Downer and then under John Howard, and was treasurer in the Howard government from its formation in 1996. On the defeat of the Howard government in 2007, Costello declined to become Liberal leader and a position in the shadow ministry and returned to the backbenches.http://www.smh.com.au/news/federal-election-2007-news/costello-wont-stand/2007/11/25/1195947541163.html Costello won't stand The Sydney Morning Herald Costello had initially indicated (15 June 2009) he would stay as the member until the next election, at which time he would retire from parliament. However, on 7 October 2009, Costello announced he would be resigning from Parliament when it resumed later in the month. He resigned on 19 October 2009.http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=CT4 The Hon Peter Costello MP aph.gov.au Campaign right|thumb|A polling booth at Toorak on polling day The Labor Party did not nominate a candidate for the by-election. The Higgins and Bradfield by-election campaigns were overshadowed by Liberal infighting over Labor Party government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, culminating in the replacement of Malcolm Turnbull with Tony Abbott as Liberal leader. Although fairly safe on paper, some commentators including Malcolm Mackerras tipped the Greens to defeat the Liberals in Higgins, and force the Liberals to preferences in Bradfield.https://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/politics/mackerras-predicts-boilover-in-higgins/news-story/6b3b9ac02e17c72942bef90caa86db1c Mackerras predicts boilover in Higgins: The Australian 3 December 2009 The Australian 3 December 2009 subscription 2010-06-25https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/a-day-that-changed-everything-20091203-k8po.html A day that changed everything: SMH 4 December 2009 The Sydney Morning Herald 4 December 2009 2010-06-25 Michelle Grattan Liberal Party candidate Kelly O'Dwyer focussed her campaigning on local issues and attempted to distance herself from federal affairs, whereas the Greens Clive Hamilton campaigned primarily for stronger action on climate change.Rout Milanda Higgins hopeful in climate-change push 4 December 2009 The Australian http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/higgins-hopeful-in-climate-change-push/story-e6frg6n6-1225806772718 https://web.archive.org/web/20101009123644/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/higgins-hopeful-in-climate-change-push/story-e6frg6n6-1225806772718 dead 9 October 2010 Candidates The following table is the order and party affiliation of each candidate that has nominated to contest the seat of Higgins. Candidates are placed in the order of the ballot paper.https://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/supplementary_by_elections/2009-higgins/candidates.htm The AEC has recently restructured our content Aec.gov.au 8 June 2007 2010-06-25 Ballot Number PartyCandidateProfessionNotes 1  Independent Stephen Murphy Computer programmer Supported by the unregistered Climate Sceptics Partyhttp://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2009/10/07/higgins-by-election/ Higgins by-election: December 5 – The Poll Bludger Blogs.crikey.com.au 7 October 2009 2010-06-25 2   Australian Sex Party Fiona Patten Party leaderhttps://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/parliament-needs-a-sex-party/news-story/4ffd0b07a76a679269887d41719a8b32 Parliament 'needs a sex party': The Australian 6 November 2009 news.com.au 6 November 2009 2010-06-25 live https://web.archive.org/web/20091109134944/http://www.news.com.au/story/0%2C27574%2C26313946-29277%2C00.html 9 November 2009 3  Liberal Party of Australia Kelly O'Dwyer Executive, National Australia Bank Former staffer for Peter Costellohttp://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/kelly-odwyer-secures-preselection-for-peter-costellos-seat-of-higgins/story-e6frf7jo-1225776258587 Kelly O'Dwyer secures preselection for Peter Costello's seat of Higgins: Herald Sun 17/09/2009 Herald Sun 17 September 2009 2010-06-25 4   Liberal Democratic Party Isaac Roberts Accountant 5   Australian Greens Dr Clive Hamilton Professor of Public Ethics, Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics Former executive director, the Australia Institutehttp://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/23/2722213.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20091026154644/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/23/2722213.htm dead 26 October 2009 Greens announce candidate for Higgins: ABC News 23/10/2009 Australian Broadcasting Corporation 23 October 2009 2010-06-25 6   Australian Democrats David Collyer Former Parliamentary Advisor Worked for former senator Lyn Allisonhttp://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=6648&display=1 Australian DemocratsAustralian Democrats Press Releases Democrats.org.au 30 October 2009 2010-06-25 7   Independent Joseph Toscano Anarchist campaigner 8   One Nation Steve Raskovy Former Hungarian wrestler and refugeehttps://www.smh.com.au/national/olympian-steps-up-to-grapple-for-higgins-20091104-hy4i.html Olympian steps up to grapple for Higgins: SMH 5 November 2009 The Sydney Morning Herald 5 November 2009 2010-06-25 Geoff Strong 9   Independent Peter Brohier Lawyer 10  Democratic Labor Party John Mulholland Psychologist The Australian Labor Party did not stand a candidate. Results The Liberal Party easily retained the seat.https://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2009/byelections/bradfield_higgins_commentary.htm Antony Green by-election commentary Antony Green Antony Green ABC 5 December 2009 2010-06-25 [[2009 Higgins by-election]]Virtual Tally Room: AEC https://web.archive.org/web/20091211220345/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/Default.htm 11 December 2009 Kelly O'Dwyer Liberal 36,421 54.57 +0.96 Clive Hamilton Greens 21,628 32.40 +21.65 John Mulholland Democratic Labour 2,572 3.85 +3.85 Fiona Patten Sex Party 2,144 3.21 +3.21 David Collyer Democrats 1,531 2.29 +1.08 |- | Climate Sceptics width:1px |   | style="text-align:left;"| Ind. Climate Sceptics | style="text-align:left;"| Stephen Murphy | style="text-align:right;"| 1,145 | style="text-align:right;"| 1.72 | style="text-align:right;"| +1.72 |- Joseph Toscano Independent 523 0.78 +0.78 Isaac Roberts Liberal Democrats 336 0.50 +0.50 Peter Brohier Independent 236 0.35 +0.35 Steve Raskovy One Nation 211 0.32 +0.32 66,747 95.85 −1.58 2,870 4.15 +1.58 69,637 79.00 −14.77 Liberal Kelly O'Dwyer 40,203 60.23 +3.19 Greens Clive Hamilton 26,544 39.77 +39.77 Liberal N/A See also List of Australian federal by-elections 1968 Higgins by-election References External links Higgins by-election: Antony Green ABC Higgins by-election: The Poll Bludger Category:2009 elections in Australia Category:Victorian federal by-elections Category:2009 in Victoria (state)