Callide – Queensland 2012

LNP 19.4%

Incumbent MP
Jeff Seeney, since 1998.

Geography
Central Queensland. Callide covers regional areas inland from the central Queensland coast. The seat covers Biloela, Moura, Monto, Eidsvold, Mundubbera, Gayndah, Theodore, Taroom, Wandoan, Wondai and Murgon.

History
Callide was created at the 1950 election, and apart from a short period in the 1980s has always been dominated by the Country/National/Liberal National parties.

Vincent Jones held the seat for the Country Party from 1950 to 1971.

At the 1972 election the seat was won by the Country Party’s Lindsay Hartwig. Hartwig won further terms in 1974, 1977 and 1980. In 1981 Hartwig was expelled from the National Country Party. He won re-election in 1983 as an independent and retired in 1986.

Di McCauley held Callide for the National Party from 1986 until 1998.

In 1998, McCauley was succeeded by Jeff Seeney.

Seeney won re-election in 2001, 2004 and 2006, and after the 2006 election became Leader of the National Party.

In 2008, Seeney was replaced by his predecessor Lawrence Springborg, who led the Nationals into a merger with the Liberal Party later that year.

Seeney won another term in 2009 for the Liberal National Party.

In March 2011, Campbell Newman replaced John-Paul Langbroek as leader of the LNP. As Newman does not hold a seat in the Parliament, Seeney was appointed as interim parliamentary leader.

Candidates
Sitting Liberal National MP Jeff Seeney is running for re-election. Katter’s Australian Party is running Steve Ensby.

• Camilla Percy (Greens)
• Duncan Scott (Independent)
• Steve Ensby (Katter’s Australian Party)
• Jeff Seeney (Liberal National)
• Melissa Newton (Labor)

Political situation
Callide is a safe LNP seat.

2009 result

2009 two-candidate-preferred result

Booth breakdown
Booths in Callide have been divided into three areas. Booths in Banana and Dalby LGAs have been grouped as “West”. Bundaberg and North Burnett booths have been grouped as “North-East”. Cherbourg, Gympie and South Burnett booths have been grouped as “South”.

The LNP polled a majority in all three areas, with the LNP vote varying from 51.7% in the west to 63% in the south. The ALP vote reached 27% in the west and was around 22-23% in other parts of the seat. Independent candidate Clare Mildren’s vote varied from 18.7% in the west to only 9.2% in the south.