Dawson is a marginal LNP seat covering the north Queensland coast between Mackay and Townsville, and including the towns of Bowan and Ayr.
The seat was held by the National Party’s De-Anne Kelly for the entirety of the Howard government, and was defeated by James Bidgood in a shock result in 2007.
Bidgood retired in 2010, and the LNP’s George Christensen won the seat back.
