Murray – Australia 2013

LIB 19.6%

Incumbent MP
Sharman Stone, since 1996.

Map of Murray's 2010 and 2013 boundaries. 2010 boundaries marked as red lines, 2013 boundaries marked as white area. Click to enlarge.
Map of Murray’s 2010 and 2013 boundaries. 2010 boundaries marked as red lines, 2013 boundaries marked as white area. Click to enlarge.

Geography
North-western Victoria. Murray covers all of Greater Shepparton, Strathbogie and Campaspe council areas and most of Moira and Loddon council areas. The largest towns in Murray are Shepparton and Echuca.

Redistribution
Murray expanded to the south-east, gaining Strathbogie council area from Indi. This reduced the Liberal margin from 20.4% to 19.6%.

History
Murray was created at the 1949 election. It has always been held by Coalition parties. It was held by the Country Party and National Party until 1996, when it was won by the Liberal Party.

The seat was first won in 1949 by the Country Party’s John McEwen. McEwen had previously held Echuca from 1934 until it was abolished in 1937, and then held Indi from 1937 until 1949.

He served as a minister in the Coalition government from 1937 to 1941. He then became a minister in the Menzies government in 1949. McEwen became Country Party leader in 1958.

When Robert Menzies retired in 1966 McEwen became the most senior figure in the government, with tremendous influence over the Country Party’s larger ally, the Liberal Party.

When Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared in late 1967, McEwen briefly served as Acting Prime Minister, and he vetoed the choice of the Treasurer, William McMahon, leading to Senator John Gorton moving to the House of Representatives and becoming Prime Minister. McEwen retired from Murray in 1971.

The 1971 by-election was won by Bruce Lloyd, also of the Country Party. Lloyd served as deputy leader of the National Party from 1987 to 1993, and retired in 1996.

At the 1996 election, the Liberal Party stood Sharman Stone, and the Nationals stood John Walker. The ALP candidate was pushed into third place, with Stone polling 43% of the primary vote, and winning on preferences.

Stone served as a Parliamentary Secretary in the Howard government from after the 1998 election until their defeat at the 2007 election. She has since served as a shadow minister.

Candidates

  • Tristram Chellew (Sex Party)
  • Sharman Stone (Liberal)
  • Michael John Bourke (Katter’s Australian Party)
  • Wendy Buck (Independent)
  • Damien Stevens (Greens)
  • Catriona Thoolen (Palmer United Party)
  • Fern Summer (Bullet Train For Australia)
  • Raymond Hungerford (Rise Up Australia)
  • Alan Walker (Family First)
  • Rod Higgins (Labor)
  • Jeff Davy (Citizens Electoral Council)

Assessment
Murray is a very safe Liberal seat.

2010 result

Candidate Party Votes % Swing
Sharman Stone LIB 52,337 64.98 +2.91
Hugh Mortensen ALP 18,842 23.39 -0.72
Ian Christoe GRN 4,906 6.09 +3.14
Serena Moore FF 2,958 3.67 +0.35
Ewan McDonald CDP 632 0.78 +0.78
Jeff Davy CEC 493 0.61 +0.36
William Clarke-Hannaford SEC 380 0.47 +0.47

2010 two-candidate-preferred result

Candidate Party Votes % Swing
Sharman Stone LIB 56,666 70.35 +2.09
Hugh Mortensen ALP 23,882 29.65 -2.09

 

Polling places in Murray at the 2010 federal election. Campaspe in blue, Loddon in red, Moira in orange, Shepparton in green, Strathbogie in yellow. Click to enlarge.
Polling places in Murray at the 2010 federal election. Campaspe in blue, Loddon in red, Moira in orange, Shepparton in green, Strathbogie in yellow. Click to enlarge.

Booth breakdown
Booths have been divided into five areas, based on the five local government areas that cover the electorate.

The Liberal Party won a majority in all five areas, ranging from 60.3% in Strathbogie to 73.4% in Campaspe.

Voter group GRN % LIB 2PP % Total votes % of ordinary votes
Shepparton 7.59 67.65 27,576 42.67
Campaspe 4.88 73.39 16,967 26.25
Moira 4.12 70.16 11,758 18.19
Strathbogie 7.97 60.30 4,995 7.73
Loddon 4.06 72.48 3,328 5.15
Other votes 6.53 71.22 20,919
Two-party-preferred votes in Murray at the 2010 federal election.
Two-party-preferred votes in Murray at the 2010 federal election.
Two-party-preferred votes in central parts of Murray at the 2010 federal election.
Two-party-preferred votes in central parts of Murray at the 2010 federal election.
Two-party-preferred votes in Shepparton at the 2010 federal election.
Two-party-preferred votes in Shepparton at the 2010 federal election.
Two-party-preferred votes in Echuca at the 2010 federal election.
Two-party-preferred votes in Echuca at the 2010 federal election.

11 COMMENTS

  1. I am the candidate for Murray representing the Palmer United Party. We want to make Australia a better place for our children and grandchildren. If you would like to tell me what would make your life better, or would like to help us change Australia for the better, leave your message here or on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PalmerUnitedPartyForMurray

    Or on twitter @cat240359 (that didn’t hide my age well did it). I am a mother and grandmother and you can guarantee I want the best for the future for them and YOUR children and grandchildren.

    Time for a change.

    Everyone in the Palmer United Party is in it for their families and yours too!

  2. Sorry, but can’t resist it:

    “a better place for our children and grandchildren”

    or

    “our children, and our children’s children” – Jim Hacker in The Quality of Life, Yes Minister series 2 episode 6

  3. Pyrmonter – Many a truth told in jest. I do hope that public servants are just like on Yes Minister.

    Catriona

  4. Most candidates from most parties would say they are in it for their families and they are probably genuine about that. Most people do not go into politics again regardless of their party affiliation to make things worse for the people they are hoping to represent. That’s personal motivation but it is not a political program.

  5. Good luck Catriona you will need it! As Sir Humphrey would say “a very courageous decision standing in Murray”.

  6. Thanks for the comments. I am scared and excited and worried about the area I have to cover to meet in people in all the towns all over Murray, it is such a diverse area, but at least it isn’t as big as the Mallee.

    Catriona

  9. MDMConnell Maybe, maybe not. The voters of the Murray certainly seem to be looking for a change. Some support that city centric Liberal and Labor don’t give to rural areas. We, the Palmer United Party have a candidate in every seat in Australia, we have chosen our ministers, we have policies to grow Australia and support Australians. We will increase services and lower tax by using a business model to grow the economy to be able to support all our services by increasing the number of people who pay tax (more employees in existing businesses) rather than taxing the existing taxpayer more. As Clive Palmer says “grow the pie and we can all get a bigger piece” The only reason to not vote for us is that “better the devil you know”, but if you are to expect/want change you can’t keep doing the same thing and expect a different outcome.

  11. If you are wanting to vote Palmer United Party, I know I will not be able to man all the booths (there are over 90) but I will try to have a coreflute with How to Vote cards attached, or you can down load your own pdf copy.

    Follow this link, http://palmerunited.net/ click on Murray and you can print your own How to Vote, or just look it up on your smart phone.

    Thanks,

    Catriona Thoolen
    Palmer United party candidate for Murray

Comments are closed.