2010 Armadale state by-election

April 2022 The 2010 Armadale state by-election was held on 2 October 2010 for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Armadale in the south-eastern suburbs of Perth. It was triggered by the resignation of Labor member Alannah MacTiernan on 19 July 2010 to run for the seat of Canning in the 2010 federal election.http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/20/2958876.htm Long serving MP resigns to fight federal campaign ABC Online 20 July 2010 10 September 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100826074234/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/20/2958876.htm 26 August 2010 dead Background Alannah MacTiernan was first elected to the seat of Armadale at the 1996 state election. At the February 2001 state election, where the Labor party won government, MacTiernan became Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, a portfolio which included Transport, in the new Gallop Ministry. She held this position until Labor's defeat at the August 2008 state election, and was best known for overseeing of the construction of the Mandurah railway line, which she had championed from opposition.http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/mactiernan-ends-16year-executive-reign-20100223-ow1u.html MacTiernan ends 16-year executive reign Thomson Chris WA Today Fairfax Media 23 February 2010 10 September 2010 In early 2010, she announced her plans to contest the Liberal-held federal seat of Canning, which included her state seat, and on 26 February 2010 resigned from the shadow ministry. She officially resigned from state parliament on 19 July 2010, two days after Prime Minister Julia Gillard had announced the timetable for the 2010 federal election. Despite a 2.16% swing to Labor in Canning and particularly strong results in areas which she had previously represented, MacTiernan failed to be elected.http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseDivisionPollingPlaces-15508-236.htm WA Division - Canning 8 September 2010 10 September 2010 Australian Electoral Commission Australian Electoral Commission https://web.archive.org/web/20100824010644/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseDivisionPollingPlaces-15508-236.htm 24 August 2010 dead dmy-allhttp://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/alannah-mactiernan-and-don-randall-neck-and-neck-for-canning/story-e6frg13u-1225908291969 Defeated Alannah MacTiernan slams election campaign Phillips Yasmin PerthNow News Limited 21 August 2010 10 September 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100923073052/http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/alannah-mactiernan-and-don-randall-neck-and-neck-for-canning/story-e6frg13u-1225908291969 23 September 2010 livehttp://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/30/2997175.htm Alannah for London? Kennedy Peter 30 August 2010 ABC News Australian Broadcasting Corporation 9 September 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100902181333/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/30/2997175.htm 2 September 2010 dead On 13 August 2010, the Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly issued a writ directing the Electoral Commissioner to proceed with an election in the district. http://www.slp.wa.gov.au/gazette/gazette.nsf/gazlist/B2EF465235D2B7AF4825777C004445ED/$file/gg156.pdf Issue of Writ for an Election for the Armadale Electoral District to elect a Member of the Legislative Assembly 2010:5971 13 August 2010 Tony Buti, a law professor at the University of Western Australia and chairman of the Armadale Redevelopment Authority, won the Labor preselection unopposed. The Liberals opted not to field a candidate. The seat of Armadale, first established in 1983, Electoral Districts Act 1947-1981 - Order in Council 1982:113-173 20 January 1982 is considered to be a safe seat for the Labor Party, with just two other members since its creation—former Minister for Transport and Minister for Environment Bob Pearce until 1993, then former Minister for Education and Deputy Opposition Leader Kay Hallahan until 1996.Black David Prescott, Valerie Election statistics, Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, 1890-1996 1997 Parliamentary History Project and Western Australian Electoral Commission Perth 0-7309-8409-5 11–12 Commentators viewed the by-election as a non-event, and the Liberal Party, in minority government in Western Australia since 2008, opted not to contest the seat — they had never polled well in the seat, and did not run a candidate in the 2001 election either. Timeline Date Event 19 July 2010 Alannah MacTiernan resigned, vacating the seat of Armadale. 13 August 2010 Writs were issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly to proceed with a by-election. 20 August 2010 Close of nominations and draw of ballot papers.http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_elections/2010_Armadale_By-Election/key_dates_and_deadlines.php Armadale By Election - Key dates and deadlines Western Australian Electoral Commission 10 September 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100824025540/http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_elections/2010_Armadale_By-Election/key_dates_and_deadlines.php 24 August 2010 dead 2 October 2010 Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm. 3 November 2010 The last day on which the writ can be returned and the results formally declared. Candidates Four candidates contested the by-election. In ballot-paper order, they were:http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_elections/2010_Armadale_By-Election/District_of_Armadale/candidates.php Armadale by-election - Candidates Western Australian Electoral Commission 10 September 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100824025847/http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_elections/2010_Armadale_By-Election/District_of_Armadale/candidates.php 24 August 2010 dead Labor Party — Tony Buti, a Professor in Law from the University of Western Australia and chairman of the Armadale Redevelopment Authority; Christian Democratic Party — Jamie van Burgel, a 27-year-old property valuer; Independent — John Tucak, a perennial contestant and campaigner against bureaucracy in the Ministry of Planning; and Greens Western Australia — Owen Davies Jr, a local boilermaker. The Liberal Party did not field a candidate.http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/20/2989160.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20101117013944/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/20/2989160.htm dead 17 November 2010 No Liberal candidate for Armadale by-election 20 August 2010 ABC News (Australia) Australian Broadcasting Corporation 9 September 2010 Results Declared results are as follows: Armadale state by-election, 2010WA Electoral Commission Labor WA Tony Buti 10,021 57.90 +1.94 Christian Democrats Jamie van Burgel 3,561 20.57 +13.27 Greens WA Owen Davies 2,220 12.83 +2.01 Independent John Tucak 1,506 8.70 +8.70 17,308 94.65 +0.61 978 5.35 –0.61 18,286 75.21 −10.68 Labor WA Tony Buti 12,159 70.29 +5.44 Christian Democrats Jamie van Burgel 5,140 29.71 N/A Labor WA N/A References 2 Category:2010 elections in Australia Category:Western Australian state by-elections Category:2010s in Perth, Western Australia