IND 2.9% vs LNP
Incumbent MP
Dorothy Pratt, since 2001. Previously Member for Barambah 1998-2001.
Geography
South-East Queensland. Nanango covers regional areas to the west of the Sunshine Coast. The seat covers parts of Dalby, Somerset, South Burnett and Toowoomba councils, covering the major centres of Kingaroy, Nanango, Kilcoy, Esk and Crows Nest.
History
The seat of Nanango first existed from 1912 to 1950. It was abolished in 1950 and replaced with Barambah. Barambah was abolished in 2001 and replaced with a new version of Nanango. Both seats were solidly Country/National until the 1998 election.
Joh Bjelke-Petersen was elected to the seat of Nanango in 1947, moving to Barambah in 1950. Bjelke-Petersen became a minister in 1963, and became Premier at the head of the Country/Liberal coalition government in 1968.
Bjelke-Petersen served as Premier for 19 years, until he stepped down in 1987. His resignation triggered the 1988 Barambah by-election.
At that by-election, the seat was won by the Citizens’ Electoral Council’s candidate, Trevor Perrett, who joined the National Party later that year.
Perrett was re-elected in 1989, 1992 and 1995, and served as a minister in the Borbidge coalition government from 1996 to 1998.
In 1998, Perrett was defeated by One Nation candidate Dorothy Pratt.
Pratt, like most One Nation MPs, quit the party in 1999 to sit as an independent. When Barambah was renamed Nanango in 2001, she was re-elected to that seat as an independent. She was again re-elected in 2004, 2006 and 2009.
Candidates
Sitting independent MP Dorothy Pratt is not running for re-election. The LNP is running Deb Frecklington. Katter’s Australian Party is running former cricketer Carl Rackemann. The ALP is running Virginia Clarke. The Greens are running Grant Newson.
- John Dalton (Independent)
- David Thomson (Independent)
- Grant Newson (Greens)
- Virginia Clarke (Labor)
- Carl Rackemann (Katter’s Australian Party)
- Deb Frecklington (Liberal National)
Political situation
The LNP is the favourite to gain Nanango upon Pratt’s retirement. However this seat has a history of being won by the CEC and One Nation, and may be vulnerable to Bob Katter’s new party.
2009 result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
| John Bjelke-Petersen | LNP | 11,644 | 40.6 | -3.9 |
| Dorothy Pratt | IND | 11,492 | 40.1 | +6.8 |
| Danielle Randall | ALP | 4,398 | 15.1 | -1.6 |
| Frida Forsberg | GRN | 1,124 | 3.9 | +3.7 |
2009 two-candidate-preferred result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
| Dorothy Pratt | IND | 13,599 | 52.9 | +0.1 |
| John Bjelke-Petersen | LNP | 12,108 | 47.1 | -0.1 |
Booth breakdown
Booths in Nanango have been divided into three areas. Booths in Somerset LGA have been grouped together. Booths in Toowoomba LGA have been grouped together as South-West, while booths in Dalby and South Burnett LGAs have been grouped together as North-West.
Dorothy Pratt won a majority of the primary vote in the north-west, compared to 35% for the LNP. The LNP won slightly more votes than Pratt in Somerset, 38.8% to 36.1%. The LNP won a majority in the south-west, 50.1% to 26.3%.
| Voter group | IND % | LNP % | ALP % | Total votes | % of votes |
| North-West | 51.3 | 35.4 | 10.5 | 10,170 | 35.5 |
| Somerset | 36.1 | 38.8 | 19.8 | 5,823 | 20.3 |
| South-West | 26.3 | 50.1 | 19.2 | 5,492 | 19.2 |
| Other votes | 38.1 | 42.3 | 15.7 | 7,173 | 25.0 |
I think Carl Rackeman will do a good job! Independent is strong out here. I do think we need to support the Katter movement. I know you will keep the government honest for us and represent us all well. Keep up the good work!
Virginia Clarke is the Labor candidate here http://www.southburnett.biz/
Why on earth are Labor bothering here? As I’ve said on a page for another seat, there’s no upper house to campaign for, so you would think the ALP would concentrate trying to hold their own seats.
My prediction: With Pratt leaving, this is now a wide open contest between the LNP and the KAP.
It’s going to come right down to the wire, I think the LNP will just pick this seat up, but by the smallest of margins. Labor’s preferences could be crucial here.
LNP’s Deb will cream this poll. She is focused on all the issues we, the electors, are concerned about. Deb is here, there and everywhere, talking to people, asking what they want and need. Carl Rakemann’s haughty persona doesn’t wear with me. When I asked him what the star on his sign meant, he didn’t know!
Dorothy Pratt had a great personal following as an Independent and attracted many NP/LNP voters (like me) who could not, in any conscience, vote for the previous LNP candidates. With Dorothy gone, and the LNP having a great candidate in Debbie Frecklington, I think Deb will be the next Member for Nanango. Ticks all the right boxes, great people person and has really worked the electorate. Big Carl is a nice guy; wrong party.
LNP gain, with KAP a close second.