LIB 12.3%
Incumbent MP
Adam Crouch, since 2015.
- Geography
- Redistribution
- History
- Candidate summary
- Assessment
- 2019 results
- Booth breakdown
- Results maps
Geography
Central Coast. Terrigal covers those parts of the City of Gosford running along the coast, as well as a tiny part of Wyong Shire. The seat covers Forresters Beach, Holgate, Wamberal, Erina, Terrigal, Avoca, Copacabana, Kincumber, Davistown, Empire Bay, Macmasters Beach and Killcare.
History
The seat of Terrigal was created at the 2007 election. It was largely the successor to the seat of Gosford. The 2007 redistribution had shifted borders such that the town of Gosford moved into the nieghbouring seat of Peats, resulting in Peats being renamed Gosford and the former Gosford being renamed Terrigal. The old seat of Gosford had shifted between parties, but had been held by the Liberals since 1988.
A district with the name ‘Gosford’ has existed since the 1950 election. Prior to that period the southern parts of the Central Coast were combined with a seat covering the Hawkesbury.
The seat was held by the Liberal Party from its creation in 1950 to 1971, when it was won by the ALP.
In 1973, the seat of Gosford was broken into the seats of Gosford and Peats. The seat of Peats is the most immediate predecessor of the current seat of Gosford, while the seat of Gosford in 1973 mostly resembles the current seat of Terrigal.
The ALP had first won Gosford in 1971, but when the seats were divided in 1973, the sitting member Keith O’Connell moved to the safer seat of Peats. Gosford was won by the Liberal Party’s Malcolm Brooks.
Brooks lost in 1976 to the ALP’s Brian McGowan by only 74 votes. McGowan held the seat until his defeat in 1988.
Chris Hartcher won Gosford for the Liberal Party in 1988. He served as a minister in the Coalition state government from 1992 to 1995. He retained Gosford throughout the 1990s, and in 2003 he held on by only 272 votes. He had been Liberal deputy leader from 2002 until 2003, but was replaced by Barry O’Farrell following the 2003 election.
Prior to the 2007 election, boundaries changed so that Gosford was effectively renamed Terrigal, and neighbouring Peats renamed Gosford. Hartcher won re-election to the renamed seat of Terrigal. Hartcher won a further term in 2011.
Hartcher was appointed Minister for Resources and Energy in the new Liberal/National government in 2011. He resigned from cabinet in December 2013 after his office was raided by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, and in February 2014 he moved to the crossbench as the ICAC inquiry progressed.
Hartcher retired at the 2015 election, and Liberal candidate Adam Crouch won the seat. Crouch was re-elected in 2019.
Assessment
Terrigal will probably stay in Liberal hands.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
| Adam Crouch | Liberal | 26,580 | 52.9 | +1.1 |
| Jeff Sundstrom | Labor | 13,134 | 26.1 | -5.3 |
| Bob Doyle | Greens | 5,073 | 10.1 | -1.7 |
| Gary Chestnut | Independent | 1,758 | 3.5 | +3.5 |
| Flavia Coleman | Animal Justice | 1,542 | 3.1 | +3.1 |
| Ross Blaikie | Conservatives | 1,202 | 2.4 | +2.4 |
| Wayne Rigg | Sustainable Australia | 995 | 2.0 | +2.0 |
| Informal | 1,682 | 3.2 |
2019 two-party-preferred result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing |
| Adam Crouch | Liberal | 27,802 | 62.3 | +3.3 |
| Jeff Sundstrom | Labor | 16,794 | 37.7 | -3.3 |
Booths in Terrigal have been split into three parts: central, north and south.
The Liberal Party won a majority of the two-party-preferred vote in all three areas, ranging from 59.3% in the centre to 65.9% in the north.
The Greens primary vote ranged from 10.1% in the centre to 11.0% in the north.
| Voter group | GRN prim % | LIB 2PP % | Total votes | % of votes |
| Central | 10.1 | 59.3 | 13,515 | 26.9 |
| North | 11.0 | 65.9 | 10,766 | 21.4 |
| South | 10.4 | 62.1 | 6,344 | 12.6 |
| Pre-poll | 7.6 | 64.8 | 11,700 | 23.3 |
| Other votes | 12.2 | 59.1 | 7,959 | 15.8 |
Election results in Terrigal at the 2019 NSW state election
Toggle between two-party-preferred votes and primary votes for the Liberal Party, Labor and the Greens.
This seat seems to be odd compared with others in the Central coast area, being the only ‘safe’ Liberal district whereas others are either swing type (Gosford and The Entrance) or considered safe for Labor.
I wonder if this area could be considered an extension of the Northern Beaches part of Sydney, as I see that some parts are quite affluent in nature.
I remember seeing a real estate ad that described the Central Coast as “Sydney’s Upper Upper North Shore”. Seems neither residents of the North Shore nor of the Central Coast were impressed!
Agree Nicholas, it seems that ad tried to make Central Coast seem more like Gold Coast and play up its ‘fancy’ characteristics.
Overall I see Central coast area behave functionally like Gold Coast, used as a commuter belt for those wanting a sort of ‘sea/tree change’ lifestyle but without the heavy tourist hype and affluence.
This electorate is the only reason Robertson is a bellwether seat. Without that, Robertson would tilt Labor as Gosford leans Labor and towns such as Woy Woy leaning Labor as well. Labor will only win Terrigal in a ‘Wranslide’ election but a ”Red-Tory” Labor MP could make this interesting like a Peter Watson or Barry Collier.
I see this seat demographically like a mix of Sutherland Shire or parts of the Gold Coast, but with mainly low-density housing and way, way less apartments. It has a large retiree population. It definitely is very different to the Northern Beaches, but it still has its ‘old money’ parts.
It’s not really a commuter belt electorate like its two neighbours are as it doesn’t have a train line running through it and it is a bit far from the M1 Pacific Motorway.
This is effectively a safe liberal
Seat..I suspect the libs would
Nearly always retain
Probable liberal party retain
Never underestimate the power of the silent voter. Was on nobodies radar. I was tempted to say days ago that this could be an upset Labor gain but would probably be laughed at.
Even if Libs hold this, it’s a disaster to almost lose this.
Reason as to why this swung so violently? This is the Nepean Victoria 2018, of NSW 2023, and Nicklin of QLD 2020, caught everyone off guard and nobody fought it would be close.
The reason this seat swung away from the Liberals is because of the disastrous Council amalgamations! Mike Beards’s fault continued by Gladys. Absolutely disgusting!! Ratepayers have been more than disgusted with the Liberal government for all the problems they caused with the Central Coast Council hence the change and hopefully the Liberals will learn their lesson. Adam Crouch did nothing to help ratepayers on the Central Coast with the Council merger either and many are really very angry with him.
Agree Dan T, this area is somewhat like Nepean it was the biggest shock for me. South Coast i actually thought Labor had a chance ABC Computer now says Libs ahead by 40 votes so very tight now.
The change is coming from Terrigal pre-poll being added to the count. It was expected to be highly Liberal leaning so I don’t think the situation has changed too much. Still Gosford and Woy Woy to come which likely mean Liberals need an almighty share of postals to overturn the lead in addition to absents afterwards.
Antony now appears to be writing this off as a Liberal retain (KB suspects much higher than expected incoming postal votes).
ABC have confirmed Terrigal for Lib.