LIB 8.1%
Incumbent MP
Mary Wooldridge, since 2006.
Geography
Eastern Melbourne. Doncaster covers southwestern parts of the City of Manningham, and covers parts of the suburbs of Doncaster, Doncaster East and Donvale.
History
Doncaster was first created at the 1976 election, and has always been held by the Liberal Party.
It was first won in 1976 by Morris Williams, who had previously been Member for Box Hill since 1973. Williams held Doncaster until his retirement in 1988.
Williams was succeeded in 1988 by Victor Perton. Perton joined the Liberal frontbench in 1999. In 2002, he came close to losing Doncaster. He served until 2006, when he retired and was succeeded by Mary Wooldridge, who won Doncaster with a swing to the Liberals.
Candidates
- Mary Wooldridge (Liberal)
- Ken Smithies (Family First)
- Charles Pick (Labor)
- Nick Carson (Greens)
Political situation
Doncaster should be easily won by the Liberal Party in 2010.
2006 result
Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
Mary Wooldridge | LIB | 16,127 | 50.55 | +2.57 |
Lidia Argondizzo | ALP | 10,423 | 32.67 | -10.08 |
Chris Gymer | GRN | 2,360 | 7.40 | -1.87 |
Irene Goonan | IND | 1,628 | 5.10 | +5.10 |
Dot Peak | FF | 1,367 | 4.28 | +4.28 |
2006 two-candidate-preferred result
Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
Mary Wooldridge | LIB | 18,541 | 58.12 | +7.35 |
Lidia Argondizzo | ALP | 13,359 | 41.88 | -7.35 |
Booth breakdown
Booths in Doncaster have been divided into three areas of relatively similar size: northeast, southeast and west.
The Liberal Party won with over 57% in the northeast and southeast, and with around 55% in the west. The Greens polled just under 7.5% in the southeast and west, and just under 7% in the northeast.
Voter group | GRN % | LIB 2CP % | Total votes | % of votes |
Northeast | 6.99 | 57.27 | 8,554 | 26.82 |
Southeast | 7.46 | 57.58 | 8,305 | 26.03 |
West | 7.47 | 55.04 | 7,575 | 23.75 |
Other votes | 7.71 | 62.83 | 7,466 | 23.40 |
image
Ben, I’m guessing those red numbers should actually be blue? The Libs won all those booths.
I did that once too. I’d done a few seats which had been dominated by one party, then got to one dominated by the other side, and just kept using the same colour.
I’d love to see a big swing to the Greens in Doncaster. I grew up in East Doncaster and we’ve been severely public transport poor for far too long. Our community has endured decades of entrenched Liberal dominance and inaction and we’re ready to strengthen the Green vote. It’s time to give Manningham a voice that will be heard so we can start tackling the real issues this electorate faces.
This isn’t really a campaigning platform.
Besides, there is hardly an entrenched Liberal dominance in Manningham seeing that two councillors (inc. the Mayor) are running for Labor at the election, while another is running as an independent.
The Greens plan to scrap the North eastern freeway is about as popular as a cold shower, but they’ll pick up a few votes. The Libs announcement to look at a train line should play well.
I was just discussing the seat, the Greens chances in the seat and public transport from the perspective of a candidate and someone who grew up in the electorate.
I would suggest the policy to build the North-East Link is actually an unpopular one, just as a meeting of 600 very vocal residents against it in Ivanhoe demonstrated weeks ago.
The Liberals $6.5m “planning study” into the Doncaster rail isn’t “playing well” with any of the constituents I’ve been speaking to. Especially considering they’ve got a choice of a party that has supported it for years.
Candidates in ballot paper order are:
Mary Wooldridge – Liberal
Ken Smithies – Family First
Charles Pick – Labor
Nick Carson – Greens