LNP 10.8%
Incumbent MP
Ray Stevens, since 2009. Previously Member for Robina 2006-2009.
Geography
Gold Coast. Mermaid Beach covers the Gold Coast suburbs of Merrimac, Mermaid Waters, Broadbeach Waters, Miami Keys, Florida Keys, Mermaid Beach and parts of Robina.
History
Mermaid Beach was created in 2009, replacing the former seat of Robina. Robina had existed from 2001 to 2009, and had always been won by the Liberal Party.
Bob Quinn was first elected as Liberal Party member for the new seat of Merrimac in 1992. Quinn served as Minister for Education in the Borbidge coalition government from 1996 to 1998.
At the 2001 election, the Liberal Party only retained three seats: those of former leader Joan Sheldon, party leader David Watson, and deputy leader Quinn, whose seat of Merrimac was renamed Robina. Quinn took over as Liberal leader, and served until 2006.
Quinn retired at the 2006 election, and was succeeded by Ray Stevens, also of the Liberal Party.
In 2009, Robina was renamed to Mermaid Beach, and Stevens was re-elected for the newly merged Liberal National Party. He currently serves as Shadow Minister for Tourism and Racing.
Candidates
Sitting Liberal National MP Ray Stevens is running for re-election. Katter’s Australian Party is running Ken Law.
- Ben Donovan (Family First)
- Jenny Boddy (Greens)
- Ken Law (Katter’s Australian Party)
- Ray Stevens (Liberal National)
- Rachel Paterson (Labor)
Political situation
Mermaid Beach is a safe LNP seat.
2009 result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
| Ray Stevens | LNP | 14,628 | 54.4 | +5.9 |
| Christina Landis | ALP | 8,999 | 33.5 | -9.3 |
| Marella Pettinato | GRN | 1,798 | 6.7 | -2.1 |
| Ibolya Monai | DSQ | 744 | 2.8 | +2.8 |
| Shannon Crane | IND | 700 | 2.6 | +2.6 |
2009 two-candidate-preferred result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
| Ray Stevens | LNP | 15,304 | 60.8 | +8.1 |
| Christina Landis | ALP | 9,863 | 39.2 | -8.1 |
Booth breakdown
Booths in Mermaid Beach have been divided into three areas: west, north and east. The LNP won a majority of the vote in all three areas, with a margin over the ALP varying from 24.2% in the north to 16.9% in the east.
| Voter group | LNP % | ALP % | GRN % | Total votes | % of votes |
| West | 53.9 | 35.0 | 5.9 | 8,608 | 32.0 |
| North | 56.1 | 31.9 | 6.1 | 6,466 | 24.1 |
| East | 51.7 | 34.6 | 7.6 | 5,170 | 19.2 |
| Other votes | 55.7 | 32.2 | 7.6 | 6,625 | 24.7 |
Ray’s campaign team are well prepared, passionate and ready to go. Bring it on!
Katter’s Australian Party Candidate is Ken Law http://www.ausparty.org.au/who-we-are/our-people/profile/58/ken-law
ALP Candidate: Rachel Paterson (UQ student from BNE)
From the Gold Coast Bulletin 22 Feb 2012, p. 9:
Who is this woman? ….. (she) says she wants to represent the people of Mermaid Beach in Parliament but no one knows who she is. She cannot be contacted, refuses to return numerous calls, and apparently does not even live on the Gold Coast.
Tentative conclusion: corflute candidate.
Even if she is, who cares? Labor sure as hell ain’t winning Mermaid Beach in 2012.
Hmm. Who cares?
Hint: the voters in Mermaid Beach …
Considering how safe this seat will be for the LNP in 2012, I doubt the voters in Mermaid Beach care very much about Labor running a paper candidate in this seat.
My prediction: LNP retain
LNP retain.
Well the election has come and gone. The red team didn’t turn up for the contest. When questioned blue team simply said: “they must have moved back to Victoria …”
The only red signage for the campaign was Ken Law (for Katter), but alas no appearance at the biggest booth.
Dr Jenny Boddy (and her father) put in a very good effort for the Greens and each deserve a special mention. Conviction politics and family were alive and well.
Those commenting from the Southern states need to contemplate an entire electorate where there was no visible ALP supporters.