Gaven – Queensland 2012

LNP 0.7%

Incumbent MP
Alex Douglas, since 2009. Previously Member for Gaven 2006-2006.

Geography
South-East Queensland. Gaven covers inland parts of the Gold Coast, including Pacific Pines, Gaven, Nerang, Highland Park and parts of Carrara.

History
The seat of Gaven was created at the 2001 election. It was created as a notionally Liberal seat, but was won in 2001 by the ALP. The ALP held the seat until losing it in a 2006 by-election. Labor then won the seat back for one more term at the 2006 election.

Gaven largely replaced the seat of Nerang in 2001. Nerang had been held by the National Party from 1986 to 1989.

Nerang was held from 1989 to 2001 by Liberal MP Ray Connor, who briefly served as a minister from 1996 to 1997. When Nerang was abolished Connor unsuccessfully contested the new seat of Mudgeeraba.

Gaven was won in 2001 by Robert Poole of the ALP. Poole was re-elected in 2004.

Poole’s wife and children lived in Thailand, and he was criticised for extended periods he spent overseas. In early 2006 it was revealed that he planned to spend a number of months in Thailand. Peter Beattie demanded that Poole return and threatened the possibility of Poole’s seat being declared vacant. Poole subsequently resigned from Parliament in early 2006.

The 2006 by-election was won by the National Party’s Alex Douglas, defeating the ALP’s Phil Gray.

Less than six months later, Douglas lost to Gray at the general election. Gray held the seat for one term, and in 2009 lost to Douglas, now running for the Liberal National Party.

Candidates
Sitting Liberal National MP Alex Douglas is running for re-election. The ALP is running Michael Riordan. Katter’s Australian Party is running Brian Zimmerman. Penny Toland is running for election.

• Alex Douglas (Liberal National)
• Bibe Roadley (Family First)
• Michael Riordan (Labor)
• Penny Toland (Independent)
• Stephen Power (Greens)
• Brian Zimmerman (Katter’s Australian Party)

Political situation
Gaven is a very marginal LNP seat, but should be safely retained by the party in 2012.

2009 result

2009 two-candidate-preferred result

Booth breakdown
Booths in Gaven have been divided into three areas: Nerang in the centre, and booths to the north and south.

The LNP only managed to outpoll the ALP in Nerang, the most populous part of the seat. The ALP outpolled the LNP by between 1% and 2% in the north and south.