Armadale state by-election, 2010
Encyclopedia
The Armadale state by-election, 2010 was held on 2 October 2010 for the Western Australia
n Legislative Assembly
seat of Armadale
in the south-eastern suburbs of Perth
. It was triggered by the resignation of Labor
member
Alannah MacTiernan
on 19 July 2010 to run for the seat of Canning
in the 2010 federal election.
was first elected to the seat of Armadale
at the 1996 state election
. At the February 2001 state election
, where the Labor party won government, MacTiernan became Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, a portfolio which included Transport, in the new Gallop Ministry
. She held this position until Labor's defeat at the August 2008 state election
, and was best known for overseeing of the construction of the Mandurah railway line, which she had championed from opposition. In early 2010, she announced her plans to contest the Liberal
-held federal seat of Canning
, which included her state seat, and on 26 February 2010 resigned from the shadow ministry.
She officially resigned from state parliament on 19 July 2010, two days after Prime Minister Julia Gillard
had announced the timetable for the 2010 federal election. Despite a 2.16% swing to Labor in Canning and particularly strong results in areas which she had previously represented, MacTiernan failed to be elected.
On 13 August 2010, the Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
issued a writ directing the Electoral Commissioner to proceed with an election in the district. Tony Buti, a law professor at the University of Western Australia
and chairman of the Armadale Redevelopment Authority, won the Labor preselection unopposed. The Liberals opted not to field a candidate.
The seat of Armadale, first established in 1983, is considered to be a safe seat for the Labor Party, with just two other members since its creation—former Minister for Transport and Minister for Environment Bob Pearce
until 1993, then former Minister for Education and Deputy Opposition Leader Kay Hallahan
until 1996. Commentators viewed the by-election as a non-event, and the Liberal Party
, in minority government in Western Australia
since 2008, opted not to contest the seat — they had never polled well in the seat, and did not run a candidate in the 2001 election either.
The governing Liberal Party
decided not to field a candidate.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
n Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
seat of Armadale
Electoral district of Armadale
The Electoral district of Armadale is a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. The district is named for the southeastern Perth suburb of Armadale which falls within its borders.-History:...
in the south-eastern suburbs of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. It was triggered by the resignation of Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Alannah MacTiernan
Alannah MacTiernan
Alannah Joan Geraldine Cecilia MacTiernan is an Australian politician. She was an ALP member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since 1996, representing the electorate of Armadale until her resignation from the Western Australian Parliament on 19 July 2010...
on 19 July 2010 to run for the seat of Canning
Division of Canning
The Division of Canning is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia. The division was created in 1949 and is named for Alfred Canning, the Western Australian government surveyor who surveyed the Canning Stock Route...
in the 2010 federal election.
Background
Alannah MacTiernanAlannah MacTiernan
Alannah Joan Geraldine Cecilia MacTiernan is an Australian politician. She was an ALP member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since 1996, representing the electorate of Armadale until her resignation from the Western Australian Parliament on 19 July 2010...
was first elected to the seat of Armadale
Electoral district of Armadale
The Electoral district of Armadale is a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. The district is named for the southeastern Perth suburb of Armadale which falls within its borders.-History:...
at the 1996 state election
Western Australian state election, 1996
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 14 December 1996 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
. At the February 2001 state election
Western Australian state election, 2001
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 10 February 2001 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, where the Labor party won government, MacTiernan became Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, a portfolio which included Transport, in the new Gallop Ministry
Gallop Ministry
The Gallop Ministry was the 33rd Ministry of the Government of Western Australia, and was led by Labor Premier Geoff Gallop and his deputy, Eric Ripper. It succeeded the Court-Cowan Ministry on 16 February 2001, following the defeat of the Liberal-National coalition government at the 2001 election...
. She held this position until Labor's defeat at the August 2008 state election
Western Australian state election, 2008
A general election was held in the state of Western Australia on Saturday 6 September 2008 to elect 59 members to the Legislative Assembly and 36 members to the Legislative Council...
, and was best known for overseeing of the construction of the Mandurah railway line, which she had championed from opposition. In early 2010, she announced her plans to contest the Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
-held federal seat of Canning
Division of Canning
The Division of Canning is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia. The division was created in 1949 and is named for Alfred Canning, the Western Australian government surveyor who surveyed the Canning Stock Route...
, which included her state seat, and on 26 February 2010 resigned from the shadow ministry.
She officially resigned from state parliament on 19 July 2010, two days after Prime Minister Julia Gillard
Julia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
had announced the timetable for the 2010 federal election. Despite a 2.16% swing to Labor in Canning and particularly strong results in areas which she had previously represented, MacTiernan failed to be elected.
On 13 August 2010, the Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly is the presiding officer in the Legislative Assembly. The office has existed since the creation of the Legislative Assembly in 1890 under the Constitution Act 1889...
issued a writ directing the Electoral Commissioner to proceed with an election in the district. Tony Buti, a law professor at the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
and chairman of the Armadale Redevelopment Authority, won the Labor preselection unopposed. The Liberals opted not to field a candidate.
The seat of Armadale, first established in 1983, is considered to be a safe seat for the Labor Party, with just two other members since its creation—former Minister for Transport and Minister for Environment Bob Pearce
Bob Pearce
Robert John Pearce was an Australian politician, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1977 until 1993 representing the seats of Gosnells and Armadale.-Biography:...
until 1993, then former Minister for Education and Deputy Opposition Leader Kay Hallahan
Kay Hallahan
Elsie Kay Hallahan , commonly known as Kay Hallahan, is an Australian politician. A member of the Labor Party, she served as a minister in the Burke, Dowding and Lawrence ministries in Western Australia, and was the first woman ever to sit in both the Western Australian Legislative Assembly and the...
until 1996. Commentators viewed the by-election as a non-event, and the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, in minority government in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
since 2008, opted not to contest the seat — they had never polled well in the seat, and did not run a candidate in the 2001 election either.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 19 July 2010 | Alannah MacTiernan resigned, vacating the seat of Armadale Electoral district of Armadale The Electoral district of Armadale is a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. The district is named for the southeastern Perth suburb of Armadale which falls within its borders.-History:... . |
| 13 August 2010 | Writs were issued by the Speaker Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly The Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly is the presiding officer in the Legislative Assembly. The office has existed since the creation of the Legislative Assembly in 1890 under the Constitution Act 1889... of the Legislative Assembly Western Australian Legislative Assembly The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth.... to proceed with a by-election. |
| 20 August 2010 | Close of nominations and draw of ballot papers. |
| 2 October 2010 | Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm. |
| 3 November 2010 | The last day on which the writ can be returned and the results formally declared. |
Candidates
Four candidates contested the by-election. In ballot-paper order, they were:- Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
— Tony ButiTony ButiAntonio De Paulo "Tony" Buti is an Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly representing the seat of Armadale since 2 October 2010, when he was elected in a by-election....
, a Professor in Law from the University of Western AustraliaUniversity of Western AustraliaThe University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
and chairman of the Armadale Redevelopment Authority; - Christian Democratic PartyChristian Democratic Party (Australia)The Christian Democratic Party is a right-wing political party in Australia. Its leader is Fred Nile, a Congregational Church minister and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.-Formation:...
— Jamie van Burgel, a 27-year-old property valuer; - IndependentIndependent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
— John Tucak, a perennial contestant and campaigner against bureaucracy in the Ministry of Planning; and - Greens Western AustraliaGreens Western AustraliaThe Greens Western Australia is the state branch of the Australian Greens in Western Australia. The Greens WA was formed following the merger of the WA Greens and the Green Earth Alliance...
— Owen Davies Jr, a local boilermaker.
The governing Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
decided not to field a candidate.