Macquarie Fields – NSW 2011

ALP 11.1%

Incumbent MP
Andrew McDonald, since 2007.

Geography
Southwestern Sydney. Macquarie Fields covers northern suburbs of the City of Campbelltown and southwestern parts of the City of Liverpool. Suburbs include Macquarie Fields, Glenfield, Denham Court, Casula, Lurnea, Prestons, Horningsea Park, Hoxton Park and Austral.

History
The seat of Macquarie Fields was first established at the 1988 election. It was a successor to the seat of Ingleburn, which was the first seat created between the seats of Liverpool and Campbelltown when it was created in 1981. The 1988 election shifted the seat north, and renamed the seat to reflect the change. In 1991, the seat moved deeper into Liverpool, and was renamed Moorebank. The changes were partly reversed in 1999, when the seat was again named Macquarie Fields. It has had that name ever since. This seat, whatever its name, has always been held by the ALP. The seat was held continuously by the Knowles family from 1981 to 2005.

Ingleburn was first won in 1981 by Liverpool deputy mayor Stan Knowles. He was re-elected in 1984 and 1988, the last time in the renamed seat of Macquarie Fields. Knowles resigned in 1990, and the ensuing by-election was won by his son Craig, a former Mayor of Liverpool.

Knowles was re-elected in the renamed Moorebank in 1991 and 1995, before his seat was again named Macquarie Fields in 1999. He joined the ministry upon Labor winning government in 1995, and after the 2003 election held a large ministerial brief. His position was damaged by his tenure as Minister for Health, and while he had once been considered a possible successor to Bob Carr as Premier, by the time of Carr’s retirement in 2005 Knowles was no longer considered a contender. Knowles retired at the same time as Carr and his deputy, Andrew Refshauge.

The 2005 by-election was won by Campbelltown city councillor Steven Chaytor. He was opposed at the Macquarie Fields by-election by former nurse and whistleblower Nola Fraser, running for the Liberals. The ALP suffered a 12% swing in the by-election.

At 29, Chaytor was considered an up-and-comer in the party. This was cut short barely a year later, when he faced charges of assault against his partner from an incident in December 2006. With the impending election, Chaytor was suspended from the ALP. He was found guilty in January 2007, after which he was expelled from the ALP and a new candidate was found. The ALP now preselected Dr Andrew McDonald, a doctor with previous involvement with Campbelltown Hospital around the time of the issues which had affected Knowles as Minister for Health and had led to Nola Fraser’s political involvement.

Chaytor’s conviction was later overturned on appeal, and he served out his term on Campbelltown City Council, retiring in September 2008.

At the 2007 election, McDonald held off against Fraser, with a similar 12% swing to that in the 2005 by-election.

Candidates

Political situation
Macquarie Fields is traditionally a very strong area for the ALP. Scandals have hit the ALP hard in the area, suffering a 12% swing in 2007. This has put Macquarie Fields within reach of a Liberal win, but this still seems unlikely. It seems more likely that much of the damage hitting the ALP elsewhere has already hit Macquarie Fields. It will be a disaster for the ALP to lose such a seat, but the current margin puts it within reach.

2007 result

Candidate Party Votes % Swing
Andrew McDonald ALP 21,918 53.0 -10.2
Nola Fraser LIB 13,678 33.1 +11.0
Peter Butler GRN 2,092 5.1 +0.3
Hany Gayed CDP 1,806 4.4 +1.2
Frank Corrigan AAFI 1,160 2.8 +1.0
Mick Allen IND 703 1.7 +0.9

2007 two-candidate-preferred result

Candidate Party Votes % Swing
Andrew McDonald ALP 23,359 61.1 -12.2
Nola Fraser LIB 14,860 38.9 +12.2

Booth breakdown
Macquarie Fields has been divided into three areas. Booths in the City of Campbelltown in the south of the seat have been grouped as ‘Glenfield’. Those in the northeast have been grouped as Casula, and those in the northwest as Hoxton Park.

The ALP’s majority was over 63% in Casula, and around 60% in the other parts of the seat.

Polling booths in Macquarie Fields at the 2007 state election. Glenfield in green, Casula in blue, Hoxton Park in yellow.

 

Voter group GRN % ALP 2CP % Total votes % of votes
Casula 4.4 63.2 14,910 36.1
Glenfield 5.0 59.2 10,180 24.6
Hoxton Park 4.8 60.9 9,324 22.5
Other votes 7.0 59.8 6,943 16.8
Two-party-preferred votes in Macquarie Fields at the 2007 state election.

68 COMMENTS

  2. Do you really think that Bill Cashman worked harder for the library to stay open than Paul Lynch, Allison Megarrity or Dr Andrew McDonald? I don’t think so. He may have played a minor role, but not compared to those three.

    Mind you, he’s probably the most impressive Green anywhere in the south-west. I remember he ran on the Fairfield Council Green Ticket in 2008 for the Parks Ward, and really impressed me with the way he presented himself. It was the only time I’ve ever voted Green. I’m willing to say he may get as high as 7%.

  3. The Library issue was a perfect give for the labor guys. Right in time by the council for elections. What on earth has Mr Lynch done for the area in the last 100yrs the stallwart has been here. Its a dump. Just go down Liverpool main street. What else is there apart from the library issue? Perfect timing. As said McDonald is the perfect second. The Liberal guy has done zilch. Bill Cashman has done heaps. McDonald is great. If he was an independent. This wouldnt be a contest.

  4. Even if it was a timely and convenient issue for the Labor Party, it doesn’t change the poor decision-making of the Council. I agree with building a branch library at Carnes Hill, but do not agree with closing any of the branches, especially two branches, which by library standards are relatively new. Indeed, my first priority would be upgrading Miller, which was in dire need of an upgrade back when I last visited it in around 1993 or 1994. From what I heard, nothing has changed down there.

    I once felt that Lynch was a very poor MP, but my view has changed over the past few years. Upgrades of Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool Station, the Parramatta to Liverpool T-Way, the Metrobus to Burwood, fighting to save libraries, keeping the Council to account, which is totally necessary. I have to say that Lynch has done an outstanding job for Liverpool.

    I don’t agree with Liverpool being a dump. I have great pride in Liverpool, and I know that things are not perfect, but the people and the city are resilient. Having been born and schooled in the area, I know the score, and the main street of Liverpool is not a dump. Indeed, describing Liverpool as a dump, is really disappointing. The streets south of Scott Street are poor, I would agree with you, but they have been that way as long as I can remember, and that was the late ’80s. The north of Liverpool is prospering however, with new units being built all the time. I live in hope that the South can prosper as well as the North and CBD of Liverpool.

  5. DLH – I can’t agree that Liverpool is a dump either. Some of the surrounding residential areas aren’t great, but the main part of Livo is fine.

  7. Adding my voice to “Liverpool is a decent place”, being working class doesn’t necessarily mean a suburb is a dump.

  8. No one said its a dump because its working class. its not even working class these days. People are educated in this area. Main street towards the old westpac building you are telling me thats not a dump?Why has that area been degraded for so long?

  9. DLH I would disagree with you that was mainly McDonalds doings. Mr Lynch does a no show for 3yrs and then we see him around election time. At least we see McDonald throughout the tenor of his reign unlike his neighbour. Lets put a bet Lynch wins and not a pip for another 3 and 1/2 yrs

  11. Its unfortunate because the Liberal does not deserve a win. He is a no show too maybe a relative of Lynch.

  12. Elements of Liverpool are still very much working-class. The Speed St area is a prime example, as well as the area west of the Whitlam Leisure Centre, which is still working-class. The CBD and the North of Liverpool, I would absolutely agree is no longer working-class.

    After the old Westpac building, which you refer to, I would agree that there needs to be a lot of improvement. That’s around the same area, which I referred to was like this back in the late 1980’s. Anywhere north of that, there’s a big difference. I don’t think that anybody, whether it be Labor or Liberal at a local level, really wants to touch the area. It’s as though that area will permanently remain the domain of drug dealers and prostitutes, which is such a pity, as the area itself has a lot of potential.

    I’ll agree to disagree with you on Paul Lynch. My final prediction for Macquarie Fields has Labor just hanging on.

  13. Good talking with you DHL. You are a smart person and refreshing, It seems you question everything. The good and bad in all. I have seen your posts in other electorates and you re assessed what you had said. Best wishes although one thing I can never agree with you better that Lynch suffered defeat than Andrew McDonald. As said Andrew works the full tenure. Lynch you only see him close to an election. Sad day for Liverpool CBD but at the same time maybe it should wake up to itself and ask a personality like Michael Byrne to run as an independent.

  14. Paul Lynch gets a 250 salary now he is going to get a lifetime pension. What does he give you people to deserve such loyalty. PEANUTS!! Crumbs. Why oh why… thats why he is called the master manipulator

  15. Sorry thats Michael Byrne as a Lib. He is charismatic and would do justice for Liverpool CBD. As said good conversing with you DHL. I respect you because you see both sides not narrow minded unintelligent.

  17. Thanks for your kind words, Steve. I’d favour Labor to hang on here, based on the figures. i don’t know too much about Eskaros, but he got a lot closer than Ned Mannoun, who ran for preselection for this seat, would have. Well done to Sam for his efforts, along with Andrew McDonald. I hope that McDonald is shadowing Skinner, who I have some serious reservations about, considering that she’s been shadow for so long in the same portfolio. He would bring her to account. I hope she doesn’t suffer the same burnour that Aquilina did in Education, after a long period as a Shadow.

  18. Labor have officially survived the storm in Macquarie Fields, as long as the boundaries don’t change. McDonald did a really good job to win this seat. Strong efforts in the majority of the Liverpool LGA, including Lurnea, which is an old stomping ground of mine. Really need to improve in the rural and recently-built parts of the electorate. The Labor brand is so toxic in those parts.

    The Liberals have done as much as they can here, provided the boundaries don’t change dramatically. A good campaign, overall from them.

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