Peel state by-election, 2007

A by-election for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly district of Peel was held on 3 February 2007.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labor MP Norm Marlborough. Labor candidate Paul Papalia was elected to fill the vacancy.

Background

Norm Marlborough was appointed to cabinet in 2006 as Minister for Small Business, Minister for the Peel and the South West, and Minister Assisting the Minister for Education and Training. This followed the replacement of Geoff Gallop by Alan Carpenter as Premier and Labor leader. Carpenter relaxed the previously existing ban on ministerial contact with disgraced former Premier turned lobbyist Brian Burke. Marlborough, a friend of Burke's, would prove an embarrassment to the government when it was revealed by the Corruption and Crime Commission that he had deliberately passed on confidential cabinet information to Burke. [cite news | title=Marlborough broke cabinet confidentiality for Burke | author=Sam Riley and AAP | date=20 February 2007 | publisher=The West | url=http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=145&ContentID=21845]

Marlborough resigned from parliament on 10 November 2006, [cite news | title=WA's Marlborough quits after Burke links revealed | publisher=ABC | date=10 November 2006 | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200611/s1786103.htm] following his sacking from the ministry. [cite news | title=Burke, Marlborough caught on tape | date=9 November 2006 | publisher=ABC | url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2006/s1785175.htm]

Results

Despite the controversy surrounding Marlborough's resignation, the government went unpunished at the ballot box. Instead, the by-election produced an increased two-party preferred majority for Labor.

Election box begin
title=Peel state by-election, 2007 [cite web | title=District of Peel Results | url=http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_elections/election_results/2007_Peel_By-Election/District_of_Peel/District_results.php | publisher=Western Australian Electoral Commission] Election box candidate AU party
party = Labor
candidate = Paul Papalia
votes = 10,801
percentage = 50.48
change = −4.50Election box candidate AU party
party = Liberal
candidate = Graeme Coleman
votes = 5,179
percentage = 24.21
change = −4.81Election box candidate AU party
party = Greens
candidate = Dawn Jecks
votes = 1,941
percentage = 9.07
change = +2.70Election box candidate AU party
party = Independent
candidate = Gerard Kettle
votes = 913
percentage = 4.96
change = +4.96Election box candidate AU party
party = One Nation
candidate = Craig Bradshaw
votes = 913
percentage = 4.27
change = +2.08Election box candidate AU party
party = Christian Democrats
candidate = Brent Tremain
votes = 871
percentage = 4.07
change = +0.31Election box candidate AU party
party = Independent
candidate = Robert Woodward
votes = 461
percentage = 2.15
change = +2.15Election box candidate AU party
party = Citizens Electoral Council
candidate = Brian McCarthy
votes = 168
percentage = 0.79
change = +0.40Election box formal
votes = 21,396
percentage = 96.39
change = +1.57Election box informal
votes = 801
percentage = 3.61
change = −1.57Election box turnout
votes = 22,197
percentage = 79.54
change = −10.28Election box candidate AU party
party = Labor
candidate = Paul Papalia
votes = 13,811
percentage = 64.59
change = +1.09Election box candidate AU party
party = Liberal
candidate = Graeme Coleman
votes = 7,570
percentage = 35.41
change = −1.09Election box hold AU party
winner = Labor
swing = +1.09

References