Electoral district of Light

Light
South Australia—House of Assembly

Electoral district of Light (green) in South Australia
State South Australia
Dates current 1857–1902, 1938–present
MP Tony Piccolo
Party Australian Labor Party
Namesake Colonel William Light
Electors 23,842 (2014)
Area 459.7 km2 (177.5 sq mi)
Demographic Rural

Light is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Colonel William Light who was the first Surveyor-General of South Australia. The electorate was created in 1857, abolished in 1902 and recreated in 1938.[1] Covering a total area of 459.7 km², Light consists of Gawler, surrounding areas and rural areas to the north, extending south of the Gawler River through to the far outer metropolitan suburbs of Munno Para West and parts of Munno Para Downs. It is classed as a rural seat.

A redistribution prior to the 2002 election saw the fairly safe Liberal seat become marginal. The 2006 election saw the seat fall to Labor for the first time in 62 years, won by Tony Piccolo. At the 2010 election he increased his margin and became the first Labor member to be re-elected to Light. A redistribution prior to the 2014 election saw Labor's margin significantly reduced from 5.3 percent to 2.8 percent however Labor again retained the seat on an unchanged margin.

Members

First incarnation 1857–1902 (two members only until 1875)
Member 1 Term Member 2 Term
John Tuthill Bagot Feb 1857 – Mar 1865 Carrington Smedley Feb 1867 – Dec 1857
William Henry Maturin Feb 1858 – Sep 1858
David Shannon Sep 1858 – Mar 1860
Francis Dutton Mar 1860 – Apr 1862
John Rowe May 1862 – Nov 1862
Francis Dutton Nov 1862 – Sep 1865
Patrick Boyce Coglin Mar 1865 – May 1868 John Rounsevell Oct 1865 – May 1868
John Hart Sr. May 1868 – Apr 1870 William Lewis May 1868 – Apr 1870
Edward Hamilton Apr 1870 – Jul 1871 James Pearce Apr 1870 – Feb 1875
James White Aug 1871 – Sep 1871
Mountifort Connor Dec 1871 – Sep 1873
Three members from 1875
Randolph Isham Stow Sep 1873 – May 1875 Member 3 Term
James White Feb 1875 – Apr 1881 David Nock Feb 1875 – Apr 1878 Jenkin Coles May 1875 – Apr 1878
James Shannon Apr 1878 – Apr 1881 Frank Carroll Apr 1878 – Mar 1878
David Moody Jun 1878 – Apr 1881
Jenkin Coles Apr 1881 – Apr 1902 Henry Vivian Moyle Apr 1881 – Apr 1884 Robert Dixson Apr 1881 – Apr 1884
David Moody Apr 1884 – Mar 1887
Patrick McMahon Glynn Mar 1887 – Apr 1890
James Wharton White Apr 1890 – Apr 1896
David Moody Apr 1896 – Apr 1899
Friedrich Paech Apr 1899 – May 1902
Second incarnation 1938–
Member Party Term
  Richard Layton Butler Liberal and Country League 1938–1938
  Herbert Michael Liberal and Country League 1939–1941
  Sydney McHugh Australian Labor Party 1941–1944
  Herbert Michael Liberal and Country League 1944–1956
  George Hambour Liberal and Country League 1956–1960
  Leslie Nicholson Liberal and Country League 1960–1962
  John Freebairn Liberal and Country League 1962–1970
  Bruce Eastick Liberal and Country League 1970–1973
  Liberal Party of Australia 1973–1993
  Malcolm Buckby Liberal Party of Australia 1993–2006
  Tony Piccolo Australian Labor Party 2006–present

Election results

South Australian state election, 2014: Light[2][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Tony Piccolo 9,919 46.2 −0.2
Liberal Cosie Costa 9,011 42.0 +1.5
Family First Wendy Rose 1,355 6.3 +2.1
Greens Terry Allen 1,193 5.6 +0.2
Total formal votes 21,478 97.3 +0.8
Informal votes 592 2.7 −0.8
Turnout 22,070 92.6 −0.4
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Tony Piccolo 11,334 52.8 −0.0
Liberal Cosie Costa 10,144 47.2 +0.0
Labor hold Swing −0.0

Notes

  1. ↑ "Statistical Record of the Legislature 1836 to 2009" (PDF). Parliament of South Australia.
  2. ↑ 2014 State Election Results – Light, ECSA.
  3. ↑ 2014 State Election Results – Light, ABC.

References