ALP 16.1%
Incumbent MP
Michael O’Brien, since 2002.
Geography
Northern fringe of Adelaide. Napier covers Elizabeth Downs, Blakeview, Evanston South, Kudla, Smithfield, Smithfield Plains, parts of Craigmore and Davoren Park as well as semi-rural One Tree Hill and Uleybury. The electorate covers parts of Playford and Gawler council areas, although none of the suburbs of the Gawler urban area.
Redistribution
Napier shifted north, losing northern parts of Elizabeth, and gained Kudla, Smithfield Plains and the balance of Munno Para from Light. The ALP’s margin was increased from 15.8% to 16.1%.
History
Napier has existed since the 1977 election, and has always been held by the ALP.
Terry Hemmings won Napier for the first time at the 1977 election. He held the seat until his retirement in 1993.
Annette Hurley won Napier at the 1993 election. Hurley was elected Deputy Leader of the Opposition in 1997.
In 2002, Hurley switched to the marginal Liberal seat of Light in an attempt to bring the ALP closer to forming government. Hurley missed out, and thus missed out on serving as Deputy Premier in the new Rann government.
Hurley went on to win a Senate seat in 2004. She served on the Labor frontbench from 2005 to 2006, and completed her term in 2011.
Michael O’Brien was elected in Napier in 2002. He was appointed to the ministry in March 2009, and currently serves as Minister for Finance and Police, amongst other portfolios.
Candidates
Sitting Labor MP Michael O’Brien is not running for re-election. Outgoing senator Don Farrell, whose term in the Senate finishes in June, announced his plans to run for the seat on January 31, but withdrew the same morning after Labor leader and Premier Jay Weatherill threatened to resign over the preselection. The ALP are now running Jon Gee. The Liberal Party is running Robert Leggatt. The Greens are running Sam Miles. Family First are running Gary Balfort.
- Gary Balfort (Family First)
- Robert Leggatt (Liberal)
- Sam Miles (Greens)
- Jon Gee (Labor)
Assessment
Napier is a very safe Labor seat.
2010 result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
| Michael O’Brien | ALP | 11,176 | 53.9 | -7.1 |
| Brenton Chomel | LIB | 5,497 | 26.5 | +7.4 |
| Gary Balfort | FF | 2,162 | 10.4 | -0.2 |
| Louise Rodbourn | GRN | 1,257 | 6.1 | +0.4 |
| Wayne Rich | IND | 661 | 3.2 | +3.2 |
2010 two-party-preferred result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
| Michael O’Brien | ALP | 13,646 | 65.8 | -8.2 |
| Brenton Chomel | LIB | 7,107 | 34.2 | +8.2 |
Booth breakdown
Booths have been divided into three areas: east, north and west.
The ALP won a majority in all three areas, ranging from 63.5% in the east to 72.3% in the west.
Family First came third, with a vote ranging from 7.6% in the north to 12.2% in the west.
| Voter group | FF % | ALP 2PP % | Total votes | % of ordinary votes |
| East | 9.05 | 63.48 | 7,494 | 43.83 |
| North | 7.63 | 70.05 | 3,052 | 17.85 |
| West | 12.24 | 72.31 | 2,434 | 14.24 |
| Other votes | 12.39 | 63.83 | 4,117 | 0.00 |
Can someone who lives in Adelaide explain why FF are strong in the Elizabeth/Sailsbury corridor? From what I’ve heard it’s similar to the Gosnells/Armadale area of Perth, so I’m guessing a larger-than-normal church presence?
Anton, the fundamentalists have large churches, especially in the north-east and the southern areas of the city .Family First developed out of the Paradise Assemblies of God Church via Pastor Evans. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Evans_(pastor)
Thanks for that Brenton
Brenton, I don’t attend a big church or fundamentalist church. 🙂
Sure, the Farrell attempt was messy, but it will be old news by the time the election rolls around, and wouldn’t have affected the result here.
My prediction: Labor retain.
The Labor posters say that John Gee will be the ALP candidate in Napier. Michael O’Brien will be introducing him at local street corner gatherings this weekend in Blakeview and Craigmore.
Labor will hold easily, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a bigger swing than usual here, after the Farrell-Weatherill saga.