Fisher state by-election, 2014

Electoral district of Fisher in the southern metropolitan area of Adelaide. Suburbs include Aberfoyle Park, Chandlers Hill, Cherry Gardens, Coromandel East, Happy Valley, Reynella East and parts of Clarendon, O'Halloran Hill, Woodcroft.

A by-election for the seat of Fisher in the South Australian House of Assembly occurred on 6 December 2014. The by-election was triggered by the death of independent MP Bob Such on 11 October 2014. Originally elected to Fisher for the Liberal Party of Australia at the 1989 election, defeating Australian Labor Party MP Philip Tyler, Such left the party in 2000.[1][2]

Labor's Nat Cook won the by-election by five votes, a 50.02 percent two-party-preferred vote from a 7.27-point swing away from the Liberals, resulting in a change from minority to majority government.[3][4][5]

Dates

Date Event[5]
8 November 2014 Writ of election issued by the Governor
18 November 2014 Close of electoral rolls
21 November 2014 Close of nominations
6 December 2014 Polling day, between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm

Candidates

The eight candidates in ballot paper order were as follows:[5]

Candidate nominations
  Liberal Party of Australia Heidi Harris Former Lord Melbourne Hotel manager and political adviser to Duncan McFetridge. Liberal candidate for Elder in 2002.[5]
  Independent Australian Democrats Jeanie Walker Involved in property investing and management and is an Aboriginal Family Violence Case Manager.[5]
  Australian Labor Party Nat Cook Flinders Medical Centre worker. Founded the Sammy D Foundation after her son died from a one-punch king hit.[5]
  Independent Leading the Community Rob de Jonge City of Onkaparinga councillor for 8 years, recently defeated. Contested Davenport in 2010.[5]
  Stop Population Growth Now Bob Couch Accountant and other occupations. Upper house candidate at the previous election.[5]
  Independent Continue Such's Legacy Dan Woodyatt Government lawyer with a background in assisting with the implementation of large capital projects and community initiatives.[5] Endorsed by Such's widow.[6]
  Australian Greens Malwina Wyra Commerce and Environmental Management Flinders University student. Staffer to Tammy Franks. Candidate in Fisher at the previous election.[5]
  Independent Honest True Local Dan Golding Involved with Neighbourhood Watch, Scouts, Air Force Cadets, Youth Advisory Council and the SA Tall Ships Association.[5]

Two-party-preferred history

The two-party-preferred vote in Fisher while Such was an independent:[5]

Election: 2002200620102014
Liberal: 55.7%40.6%51.9%57.2%
Labor: 44.3%59.4%48.1%42.8%

Polling

One opinion poll was conducted and released by the in-house polling group at The Advertiser, Adelaide's main newspaper. Between one and two weeks prior to the by-election, 400 voters were polled in the seat. Voters were randomly selected at the sole pre-poll booth at Happy Valley Shopping Centre, as well as at Aberfoyle Hub. Primary votes saw 34.25 (−0.85) percent to Liberal, 30 percent to Woodyatt, 20.5 (+2.8) percent to Labor, with a collective 15 percent for the remaining five candidates. The Advertiser claimed that a Liberal primary vote below 40 percent and the high vote for Woodyatt with Labor remaining in third place, preferences could have seen Fisher retained by an independent, Woodyatt.[6]

Result

Fisher state by-election, 6 December 2014[7][8][9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Heidi Harris 7,413 36.1 +1.0
Labor Nat Cook 5,495 26.7 +9.0
Independent Continue Such's Legacy Dan Woodyatt 4,789 23.3 +23.3
Independent Honest True Local Dan Golding 880 4.3 +4.3
Independent Leading the Community Rob de Jonge 809 3.9 +3.9
Greens Malwina Wyra 708 3.4 −1.3
Stop Population Growth Now Bob Couch 270 1.3 +1.3
Independent Australian Democrats Jeanie Walker 195 0.9 +0.9
Total formal votes 20,559 96.1 −1.5
Informal votes 841 3.9 +1.5
Turnout 21,400 82.9 −10.5
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Nat Cook 10,284 50.02 +7.27
Liberal Heidi Harris 10,275 49.98 −7.27
Labor gain from Independent Swing +7.27
Distribution of Preferences - 6th count
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Heidi Harris 8,128 39.5
Labor Nat Cook 6,325 30.8
Independent Dan Woodyatt 6,106 29.7

Labor's Nat Cook won the by-election by five votes with Woodyatt preferences, a 50.02 percent two-party-preferred vote from a 7.27 percent swing away from the Liberals, resulting in a change from minority to majority government. The Liberals were successful in requesting a re-count which occurred on 15 December. Results are final.[3][4][5][11][12]

Labor had also achieved majority government at a state level one week prior at the 2014 Victorian election.

See also

References

External links