Electoral district of Gaven

Gaven is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland. It was created out of the former district of Nerang and the southern segment of Albert in the 2001 redistribution, and is based around the located in the northern growth corridor of the Gold Coast.

Gaven was created as a notionally conservative seat, part of the old South Coast seat held for 14 years by Russ Hinze (commonly known as Sir Joh's "Minister for Everything"), and was contested for the conservative National Party of Australia by the incumbent member for Albert, Bill Baumann, at the 2001 election. However, amidst a statewide landslide victory for the Australian Labor Party, the seat fell to union organiser Robert Poole with a 14.6% swing. The National Party agreed to let their coalition partner, the more urban Liberal Party of Australia contest the seat at the 2004 election, and though they nominated former Gold Coast mayor Ray Stevens, Poole was returned with only a slight swing against him.

Poole became the subject of increasing controversy during his second term, as he spent most of his term out of the state, living with his family in Thailand. This reached its peak in 2006, when Poole revaled that he intended to spend the first half the year in Thailand while he recovered from surgery. A furious Premier Peter Beattie demanded that Poole return or face having his seat formally declared vacant, and Poole reluctantly stepped down in late February.

Facing a highly winnable by-election, the Coalition made the decision to allow the National Party to contest the seat, which bemused some observers, who noted that the party had only polled 2% for the Senate in Gaven's federal booths at the 2004 federal election. Their candidate, GP Alex Douglas, did not live in the electorate and faced vehement Labor attacks for being a National in a typically Liberal region, but ultimately won with an 8% swing, defeating Labor candidate and former Queensland Public Sector Union president Phil Gray.

Dr Douglas continued to practice medicine in his Nerang surgery whilst receiving his full-time parliamentary salary, raising the ire of many of his constituents in the electorate, who had voted for him in reaction to the "part-time" representation by Poole previously. Dr Douglas had little choice in the matter however, as he was legally required to practice 6 hours per week or be de-registered from the Australian Medical Association.

The 2006 state election saw Dr Alex Douglas and Phil Gray once again running against each other, with the Australian Greens being represented by Bill Rhyman. Phil Gray won the seat by an 8% swing, with an absolute majority of primary votes.

Members for Gaven

ee also

* Queensland Legislative Assembly electoral districts

External links

* [http://abc.net.au/news/australia/qld/goldc/ Gold Coast News] Australian Broadcasting Corporation
** 7 March [http://abc.net.au/news/australia/qld/goldc/200603/s1585430.htm Beattie announces Gaven by-election]
** 9 March [http://abc.net.au/news/australia/qld/goldc/200603/s1586808.htm ALP candidate confident of Gaven win]
** 1 April [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18675598-1248,00.html Labor hasn't given up by-election]
** 1 April [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18675044-1248,00.html By-election unwinnable: Beattie]