LNP 24.3%
Incumbent MP
Howard Hobbs, since 1986.
Geography
South-Western Queensland. The seat covers the south-western corner of Queensland, bordering New South Wales and South Australia. Warrego covers Balonne, Bulloo, Murweh, Paroo, Roma and parts of Dalby and Toowoomba local government areas. The seat’s major centres include St George, Cunnamulla, Thargomindah, Chinchilla, Miles, Roma and Charleville.
History
The seat of Warrego has existed continuously since 1865. The seat was held by the ALP continuously from 1908 to 1974. The seat has been held by Country/National/Liberal National MPs since 1974.
Neil Turner won Warrego for the Country Party in 1974. He held the seat until 1986. He later returned to Parliament as Member for Nicklin from 1990 to 1998, when he lost to independent candidate Peter Wellington. He served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1996 to 1998.
Howard Hobbs won Warrego for the National Party in 1986. He has been re-elected for a further eight terms since 1986.
Candidates
Sitting Liberal National MP Howard Hobbs is running for re-election. Murweh Shire Mayor Mark O’Brien is running as an independent. The ALP is running David Bowden.
- Mark O’Brien (Independent)
- Robert Earixson (Katter’s Australian Party)
- Howard Hobbs (Liberal National)
- David Bowden (Labor)
- Graeme Maizey (Greens)
Political situation
Warrego is a very safe LNP seat.
2009 result
Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
Howard Hobbs | LNP | 13,805 | 59.8 | -5.4 |
Elliott Thornton | ALP | 4,378 | 19.0 | -5.1 |
Wally Gleeson | IND | 3,831 | 16.6 | +16.6 |
Tony Kusters | FF | 548 | 2.4 | -3.8 |
Kathryn Wildermuth | GRN | 411 | 1.8 | +1.8 |
Allen Hassall | IND | 126 | 0.5 | +0.5 |
2009 two-candidate-preferred result
Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
Howard Hobbs | LNP | 14,884 | 74.3 | +1.7 |
Elliott Thornton | ALP | 5,138 | 25.7 | -1.7 |
Booth breakdown
Booths in Warrego have been divided into four areas. Booths in Balonne, Dalby and Roma local government areas have each been grouped together. Booths in Bulloo, Murweh and Paroo LGAs have been grouped together as ‘west’.
The LNP primary vote varied between 41% in the west and 64% in Roma. Independent candidate Wally Gleeson polled 11% in Roma and Balonne, but polled well over 20% in Dalby and the west. The ALP’s vote varied from 13% in Dalby to 33% in the west.
Voter group | LNP % | ALP % | IND % | Total votes | % of votes |
Dalby | 56.1 | 13.6 | 24.9 | 6,382 | 27.6 |
Roma | 64.4 | 19.7 | 11.0 | 5,032 | 21.8 |
West | 41.3 | 33.7 | 22.2 | 2,821 | 12.2 |
Balonne | 59.3 | 25.6 | 11.0 | 1,806 | 7.8 |
Other votes | 67.3 | 15.6 | 12.2 | 7,058 | 30.6 |
Independent Mayor Mark O’Brien is running for Warrego, will certainly make the seat a lot more interesting in 2012.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/popular-mayor-to-challenge-lnps-howard-hobbs-for-warrego/story-e6frgczx-1226197526319
Labor have chosen David Bowden as their candidate http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2012/01/24/bowden-on-labor-ticket-for-election/
My prediction: LNP retain
LNP retain with KAP second, daylight third and Labor fourth……..