Springwood – Queensland 2012

ALP 4.1%

Incumbent MP
Barbara Stone, since 2001.

Geography
South-Eastern Queensland. Springwood covers northern parts of the City of Logan, on the southern fringe of Brisbane. Springwood covers the suburbs of Rochedale South, Springwood, Daisy Hill, Shailer Park, Logandale and parts of Cornubia.

History
Springwood repeatedly changed hands throughout the 1980s and 1990s, but has remained in Labor hands for the last decade.

The seat was first won in 1986 by the National Party’s Huan Fraser. He briefly served as a minister in 1989 before losing his seat at the 1989 election.

Molly Robson won the seat for the ALP in 1989, and held it for two seats before losing to the Liberal Party’s Luke Woolmer in 1995. The ALP was hit in Springwood in 1995 due to a controversial tollway planned to be built through a local koala sanctuary. The Democrats polled over 18% and the Liberals won in a huge swing with preferences from other candidates.

Grant Musgrove won the seat back for the ALP in 1998. He resigned from the ALP in 2000 after being embroiled in a scandal involving fraudulent electoral enrolments, and he was replaced at the 2001 election by Labor candidate Barbara Stone. Stone has held the seat for the last decade.

Candidates
Sitting Labor MP Barbara Stone is running for re-election. The LNP is running Logan city councillor John Grant. The Greens are running Neil Cotter.

• John Grant (Liberal National)
• Neil Cotter (Greens)
• Barbara Stone (Labor)
• Julian Tocaciu (Katter’s Australian Party)
• Chris Lawrie (Family First)

Political situation
Springwood was a very marginal seat in the 1990s and would be a key target for the LNP in achieving a governing majority.

2009 result

2009 two-candidate-preferred result

Booth breakdown
Booths in Springwood have been divided into two areas: North and South.

The ALP polled highest in both areas, with over 47% of the primary vote, with the LNP vote varying from 39-41%.