2008 Gippsland by-election

Australian federal by-election March 2020 July 2011 Victoria parliamentary no 28 June 2008 150x150px Darren Chester National Party of Australia 32,921 39.60% 8.77pp 150x150px Darren McCubbin Australian Labor Party 22,652 28.41% 8.14pp 150x150px Rohan Fitzgerald Liberal Party of Australia 17,249 20.72% 20.72pp TPP TPP swing 61.99% 6.08pp 38.01% 6.08pp Division of Gippsland 2007.png Gippsland (green) within Victoria. MP Peter McGauran National Party of Australia Darren Chester National Party of Australia The 2008 Gippsland by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Gippsland on 28 June 2008.Gippsland by-election due on June 28 5 May 2008 AAP http://news.theage.com.au/gippsland-byelection-due-on-june-28/20080505-2b2r.html https://archive.today/20121231035822/http://news.theage.com.au/gippsland-byelection-due-on-june-28/20080505-2b2r.html dead 31 December 2012 It was triggered by the resignation of National Party MP Peter McGauran.McGauran resigns, 'makes way for new blood' 4 April 2008 ABC http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/04/2207575.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20080404151910/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/04/2207575.htm dead 4 April 2008 The writ for the by-election was issued on 19 May 2008. Nominations closed at 12 noon on 5 June 2008. The declaration of nominations, including the ballot order, was revealed the following day, 6 June 2008.Date set for Gippsland by-election 5 May 2008 AEC http://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/Media_releases/2008/05_06.htm The electorate was contested on the same boundaries drawn for Gippsland at the 2007 federal election. The by-election saw the National Party retain the seat with an increased margin, electing candidate Darren Chester. Background At the 2007 federal election, the opposition Labor Party defeated the incumbent Liberal-National coalition government. This marked the first change of government in over 11 years. This meant a transition from the government frontbench to the opposition backbench for several Liberal Party and National Party politicians. It was speculated that a number of former ministers would not serve out their terms but resign their seats early.Byelections galore Tony Wright 8 December 2007 The Age http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/byelections-galore/2007/12/07/1196813015582.html?page=fullpage This speculation later became reality as Peter McGauran, Alexander Downer, Mark Vaile, and Peter Costello all resigned prior to the next federal election. On 4 April 2008, McGauran became the first former Howard government minister returned at the 2007 election to announce his resignation. McGauran first won the seat of Gippsland at the 1983 federal election. He retained the seat at every subsequent election. At the 2007 election, McGauran won the seat for the National Party by a two-party preferred margin of 55.91% to Labor's 44.09%.http://results.aec.gov.au/13745/Website/HouseDivisionFirstPrefs-13745-213.htm 2007 federal election results – Gippsland Results.aec.gov.au 14 December 2007 2010-07-19 McGauran had reportedly lined up a job in the racing industry with Thoroughbred Breeders Australia.Decide now, Nelson tells MPs pondering future Mark Davis 2 April 2008 Sydney Morning Herald http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/decide-now-nelson-tells-mps-pondering-future/2008/04/01/1206850910690.html Candidates right|thumb|National Party candidate and eventual winner, Darren Chester Five candidates contested the by-election. They are listed below in ballot order.http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/supplementary_by_elections/2008_gippsland/candidates.htm Gippsland candidates Aec.gov.au 8 June 2007 2010-07-19 Australian Greens – Malcolm McKelvie, doctor from Yarragon.Candidate for Greens 5 May 2008 Latrobe Valley Express http://latrobevalley.yourguide.com.au/news/local/general/candidate-for-greens/1237397.html January 2017 InternetArchiveBot yes Liberal Party of Australia – Rohan Fitzgerald, senior manager with the Central Gippsland Health Service.Liberals select Gippsland candidate 15 April 2008 AAP http://news.theage.com.au/liberals-select-gippsland-candidate/20080415-26dy.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080416125556/http://news.theage.com.au/liberals-select-gippsland-candidate/20080415-26dy.html 16 April 2008 He is based in Traralgon. Liberty and Democracy Party – Ben Buckley, pilot and a councillor of East Gippsland Shire Council.http://www.egipps.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_Id=788&h=1 Cr Ben Buckley Egipps.vic.gov.au 9 December 2009 2010-07-19 https://web.archive.org/web/20110218232546/http://www.egipps.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_Id=788&h=1 18 February 2011 deadGippsland by-election officially called 20 May 2008 ABC http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/20/2250221.htm https://archive.today/20121231054331/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/20/2250221.htm dead 31 December 2012 Buckley is a perennial candidate who contested Gippsland as an independent in 1984, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2001 and 2007, and as a One Nation candidate in 2004.http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2008/gippsland/boundaries.htm 2008 Gippsland By-election ABC 2010-07-19 He is based in Benambra. Australian Labor Party – Darren McCubbin, Mayor of Wellington Shire at the time of nomination but has since resigned in order to focus on the campaign.Wellington Mayor resigns to stand for by-election ABC 5 June 2008 http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/05/2266033.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20080621182818/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/05/2266033.htm dead 21 June 2008 He won preselection over Latrobe City Deputy Mayor David Wilson.Labor to run Mayor in Gippsland 18 April 2008 ABC http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/18/2220541.htm https://archive.today/20121231060255/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/18/2220541.htm dead 31 December 2012 He is based in Sale. National Party of Australia – Darren Chester, chief of staff to Nationals leader in Victoria Peter Ryan. He won preselection over retired army officer Russell Smith.Nationals select candidate for Gippsland 13 April 2008 Sunday Herald Sun http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23532188-2862,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20110809024954/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/nats-select-candidate-for-gippsland/story-e6frf7kx-1111116049678 dead 9 August 2011 He is based in Lakes Entrance. A joint Coalition candidate? Following McGauran's resignation announcement, Craig Ingram, independent Victorian MLA for the seat of Gippsland East, told reporters that he was considering contesting the by-election as an independent.Ingram eyes federal seat Misha Schubert 5 April 2008 The Age http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/ingram-eyes-federal-seat/2008/04/04/1207249461199.html Subsequently, Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan made an offer to Ingram to run with the joint endorsement of the Liberal and National parties. Heffernan saw this as the first step in a potential merger between the two parties. However, the idea was rejected by both party organisations, and it is doubtful whether Heffernan had the authority to make such an offer.Libs, Nationals reject joint ticket proposal for Gippsland 8 April 2007 ABC http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/08/2211029.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20080415190522/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/08/2211029.htm dead 15 April 2008 Soon after that, Ingram announced that he would not be running in any capacity.Candidates jostle for by-election Kate Lancaster 10 April 2008 Latrobe Valley Express http://latrobevalley.yourguide.com.au/news/local/general/candidates-jostle-for-byelection/1220656.html January 2017 InternetArchiveBot yes Results Darren Chester retained the seat for the National Party with an increased margin.http://results.aec.gov.au/13813/website/HouseDivisionFirstPrefs-13813-213.htm 2008 by-election result – Gippsland Results.aec.gov.au 15 July 2008 2010-07-19 thumb|upright=1.8|The distribution of preferences in the by-election resulted in the election of Darren Chester. Gippsland by-election, 2008 Darren Chester Nationals 32,971 39.60 -8.77 Darren McCubbin Labor 23,652 28.41 -8.14 Rohan Fitzgerald Liberal 17,249 20.72 +20.72 Malcolm McKelvie Greens 5,862 7.04 +1.50 Ben Buckley LDP 3,518 4.23 +4.23 83,252 97.12 +0.10 2,465 2.88 -0.10 85,717 89.68 -5.98 Darren Chester Nationals 51,611 61.99 +6.08 Darren McCubbin Labor 31,641 38.01 -6.08 Nationals +6.08 See also List of Australian federal by-elections References External links ABC Gippsland by-election Category:2008 elections in Australia Category:Victorian federal by-elections Category:2008 in Victoria (state)