Nanango – Queensland 2015

LNP 8.98% vs KAP

Incumbent MP
Deb Frecklington, since 2012.

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.

Pratt retired at the 2012 election, and the seat was won by LNP candidate Deb Frecklington. Frecklington defeated former cricketer Carl Rackemann, running for Katter’s Australian Party, by a 9% margin after preferences. Independent candidate John Dalton came third, with the ALP relegated to fourth place.

Candidates

Assessment
Nanango is a very conservative seat. The seat in the area has successively been held by the Citizen’s Electoral Council, the Nationals, One Nation-turned-independent, and then the LNP. Frecklington will not face a serious challenge from Labor.

KAP state leader Ray Hopper is switching from Condamine to run in Nanango, and could prove to be a serious threat to the LNP.

2012 election result

Candidate Party Votes % Swing
Deb Frecklington Liberal National 13,493 45.44 +4.81
Carl Rackemann Katter’s Australian 7,818 26.33 +26.33
John Dalton Independent 3,804 12.81 +12.81
Virginia Clarke Labor 3,134 10.55 -4.80
Grant Newson Greens 1,090 3.67 -0.25
David Thomson Independent 357 1.20 +1.2

2012 two-candidate-preferred result

Candidate Party Votes % Swing
Deb Frecklington Liberal National 14,705 58.98 +11.88
Carl Rackemann Katter’s Australian 10,229 41.02 +41.02
Polling places in Nanango at the 2012 Queensland state election. East in blue, North-West in green, South-West in orange. Click to enlarge.
Polling places in Nanango at the 2012 Queensland state election. East in blue, North-West in green, South-West in orange. Click to enlarge.

Booth breakdown
Booths in Nanango have been divided into three parts: east, north-west and south-west. The ‘east’ covers those polling places in Somerset local government area. The ‘south-west’ covers those booths in the Toowoomba local government area, and the ‘north-west’ covers those in South Burnett and Dalby/Western Downs council areas.

The LNP topped the primary vote in all three areas, with a vote ranging from 41.3% in the north-west to 50.3% in the south-west.

Katter’s Australian Party came second in all three areas, with a vote ranging from 23.7% in the east to 30% in the north-west.

Independent candidate John Dalton came third, with a vote ranging from 9.6% in the south-west to 16.6% in the north-west. Labor came fourth, but outpolled Dalton in the east and south-west.

The Electoral Commission does not publish two-candidate-preferred figures by polling place, so two-candidate-preferred figures in the following map are estimates.

Voter group LNP prim % KAP prim % IND prim % ALP prim % Total % of votes
North-West 41.34 29.98 16.57 8.10 9,755 32.85
East 45.21 23.67 12.44 14.31 5,673 19.10
South-West 50.27 25.44 9.63 9.83 5,554 18.70
Other votes 47.09 24.52 10.87 11.32 8,714 29.34
Estimated two-candidate-preferred votes (Liberal vs KAP) in Nanango at the 2012 Queensland state election.
Estimated two-candidate-preferred votes (Liberal vs KAP) in Nanango at the 2012 Queensland state election.
Primary votes for independent candidate John Dalton in Nanango at the 2012 Queensland state election.
Primary votes for independent candidate John Dalton in Nanango at the 2012 Queensland state election.
Labor primary votes in Nanango at the 2012 Queensland state election.
Labor primary votes in Nanango at the 2012 Queensland state election.

11 COMMENTS

  1. LNP has a real problem with women representation! With Bates out of cabinet, Simpson in the speakers chair, and the low profile of Stuckey and Davis, Deb would have to be favourite for a big promotion, Id say even a serious chance of being in the leadership team if Newman loses and a SE liberal becomes leader, Seeney would have to go being passed his use by date. Theres also the genuine chance that Rice and Smith will be gone and France will tough it out in Pumicestone meaning the LNP will be searching for talent to promote

  2. Have to agree with you Observer. Frecklington will be promoted after the election and if Newman doesn’t survive she is an outside chance at a leadership position. She is highly favored by both Nicholls and Seeney. you are right about a regional mp for deputy, not much to choose from. Those in cabinet are Dempsey, Cripps, McVeigh and Springborg. On the female thing, if they lose a few I wouldn’t be surprised to see Simpson back in a ministry, something soft and cuddly though. France will also get promoted. I expect Davis will be dumped, Stuckey will survive probably only because dumping both women will look bad.

  3. This is one seat that will hold a lot of interest. Ray Hopper (KAP) (Former member for is contesting it and it was held by the former One Nation come independent (Dolly Pratt) so is always a chance for minor to take. A big test for Ray Hopper as well. Can he win under the KAP banner

  4. I Clicked in the link to Liz Hollens-Riley site and did not even recognise that it was ALP. In fact I thought what is this group I have never heard about Queensland needs You: Fight 4 Queensland. Colouring resembles Katter’s new colours. It seems both ALP and KAP have dumped the Fire Engine Red.

    Observer’s comments about Deb Frecklington having a chance of being the Deputy leader based on her not being a from SE Qld not being a liberal and not being a man are based on at least two false assumptions. Frecklington like all LNP members has been ben completely cowered by the Newman management style. She has voted as a liberal on very occasion. No one in Qld would think Nanango is any where other than SE QLD. If Freckllington were to become deputy leader it will be for other reasons.

    Andrew Jackson
    apjackson@hotkey.net.au

  5. Nanango is rural SE Andrew, its included in the Maranoa electorate which is as regional as you get. Assume polls are right and Newman loses his seat and Nicholls gets a shot thats another Brisbane based leader. Seeny will have his expiry date and will resign as deputy. Then you look at the fact the LNP will lose a number of female MPs and have limited women in the party room, promoting a female to deputy will allow them to attempt to reconnect that base. Second why would you put a Brisbane based deputy, Nanango is on the edge, its regional, its country that was the only reason Seeney was even deputy leader in the first place. The way she has voted is irrelevant because all MPs vote on party lines. If she didn’t why would they even consider her as deputy, could you imagine the infighting if she openly attacked LNP policy when she is deputy leader. This government has been a mess and Frecklington is new and hasn’t been as caught up.

  6. OH PLEASE !!! Another bloody solicitor in parliament

    Yes we know the Libs and the Nats have merged into LNP Yuk!!!

    Regardless a liberal is not a National Never has been never will be
    Merger or no merger

    REAL NATIONALS Springborg Vaughan Hobbs Farmers get it

    How can you compare them to Newman and Co Solicitors Used Car Salesmen
    Wheeler Dealers Sprivs and Real Estate Agents

    Deb is a Liberal in Sir Johs seat YES SIR JOHS SEAT HELD BY A LIBERAL AGGHHHHHH!!!! Strewth ring the police now !!! This is just wrong

    Ray Hopper please win this seat and save us from Liberals in the bush

    What has the world come to Pink BMWs parked all over the main street of Kingaroy

    I am sure Deb is a lovely lady But she should hop into her BMW and drive down to
    Ascot or Hamilton were all good Liberals congregate and leave the bush to Katter ONP
    or real Nationals

    LNP what a joke Newman will lose his seat then they can get a real National as Premier
    like Springborg or Seeney

  7. Pollbludger reports that Deb is rumoured to be in strong contention for deputy leadership if Nicholls takes the leadership after the election. It also says the reason for her promotion on LNP material is for regional balance as she is not a cabinet minister unlike Jan Stuckey and Tracy Davis who are. Seems that her promotion to the leadership team would be for regional purposes as I suggested

  8. Lib Premier and Lib Deputy So were does that leave the Nats ???

    Disolve this sill party and put the Nats back in power

  9. Thats the problem she is a Solicitor so she is a Liberal not a NAT
    Dorothy Pratt please come back we need you Liberals have taken
    over your electorate. A solicitor as local member AGGGGHHHHHH

    Theres a couple of Libs I dont mid Julie Bishop Chris Pine and Scott Morrison
    BUT NOT AS MEMBERS FOR NANANGO That is just wrong

    Ray Hopper please win this seat to restore balance to the Universe

    As I said before Deb is a nice lady but she should be in Ascot or Hamilton

  10. Don’t discount Liz Hollins-Riley, maybe new to the scene but a good candidate who will take up the swing and steal some votes as well.

Comments are closed.