Division of Dobell

Dobell
Australian House of Representatives Division

Division of Dobell (green) in New South Wales
Created: 1984
MP: Craig Thomson
Party: Labor
Namesake: Sir William Dobell
Area: 775 km² (299 sq mi)
Demographic: Provincial

The Division of Dobell is an Australian electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1984 and is named for Sir William Dobell, the painter. It is located in the Central Coast region of New South Wales and includes the towns of The Entrance, Tuggerah and Wyong. The electorate stretches from Blue Haven in the north to Wyoming in the south, from The Entrance in the East through the Jilliby Valley

Dobell was originally a fairly safe seat for the Australian Labor Party but successive redistributions reduced the Labor margin and the seat was ultimately won by the Liberal Party in the 2001 election. The Liberals consolidated their hold on the seat at the 2004 election; however Labor regained the seat at the 2007 election when Craig Thomson easily defeated Ken Ticehurst. Dobell is a bellwether electorate. With the exception of the 1990 election and the 1996 election, Dobell has voted for the party with the highest national two party preferred vote at every federal election since its creation in 1984.

Liberal Party preselection for the 2010 Federal election is local Wyong Shire councillor and small business manager John McNamara. Labor preselection is incumbent Craig Thomson.[1]

Contents

Major suburbs

Members

Member Party Term
  Michael Lee Labor 1984–2001
  Ken Ticehurst Liberal 2001–2007
  Craig Thomson Labor 2007–present

Election results

Australian federal election, 2010: Dobell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Craig Thomson 38,268 46.27 -0.08
Liberal John McNamara 33,287 40.24 -2.05
Greens Scott Rickard 7,121 8.61 +3.24
Family First Gavin Brett 2,033 2.46 +0.75
Christian Democrats Rhonda Avasalu 2,005 2.42 +0.54
Total formal votes 82,714 93.94 -1.74
Informal votes 5,333 6.06 +1.74
Turnout 88,047 94.01 -0.83
Two-candidate preferred result
Labor Craig Thomson 45,551 55.07 +1.14
Liberal John McNamara 37,163 44.93 -1.14
Labor hold Swing +1.14

References