Chatsworth state by-election, 2005
Encyclopedia
A by-election was held for the Queensland Legislative Assembly
district of Chatsworth
on 20 August 2005. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting Labor
member and Deputy Premier Terry Mackenroth
.
The by-election was held to coincide with the Redcliffe by-election
on the same day. Both contests resulted in the Labor Party losing the seat to the rival Liberal Party
. Michael Caltabiano
was elected as the new member for Chatsworth.
and held the seat of Chatsworth
at every election thereafter. When Labor came to power in 1989, Mackenroth became a minister under the premiership of Wayne Goss
and remained so until the downfall of the Goss government in 1996. When Labor returned to power under the leadership of Peter Beattie
in 1998, Mackenroth was once again made a minister. From 2000 onwards he served as Deputy Premier under Beattie, and from 2001 he was Treasurer.
On 25 July 2005, Mackenroth announced his retirement from politics. He had been planning to wait until the following month, but the retirement of fellow Labor MP Ray Hollis
and the resulting cabinet reshuffle caused him to bring forward his own resignation.
The Liberal Party chose Brisbane City Councillor—and so-called "factional warrior"—Michael Caltabiano
as their candidate. Caltabiano held the council ward of Chandler, which overlapped with the state seat of Chatsworth.
, along with that of Terry Rogers in Redcliffe, was a filip for the Liberal Party, who increased their numbers in the Legislative Assembly from five to seven. However, the Liberal Party's hold on these two seats did not last long; both returned to the Labor fold at the 2006 state election.
Labor's unsuccessful candidate for the Chatsworth by-election, Chris Forrester, had initially been chosen to contest Chatsworth again at the 2006 state election. However, he was dumped in favour of media personality Chris Bombolas
closer to the election. It was believed that Forrester would be chosen as Labor's candidate for the seat of Bonner
at the 2007 federal election instead. However, he lost party preselection to local councillor Kerry Rea
. Both Bombolas and Rea went on to win their respective election contests.
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
district of Chatsworth
Electoral district of Chatsworth
The district of Chatsworth is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland. The electorate is centred on the south-eastern suburbs of Brisbane and stretches north to Tingalpa, west to Carina Heights, east to Tingalpa Creek and south to Bulimba...
on 20 August 2005. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting 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 and Deputy Premier Terry Mackenroth
Terry Mackenroth
Terence Michael "Terry" Mackenroth is a former Queensland Australian Labor Party politician, serving almost 28 years with a notable parliamentary service history and a number of ministerial roles including Treasurer and Deputy Premier....
.
The by-election was held to coincide with the Redcliffe by-election
Redcliffe state by-election, 2005
A by-election was held for the Queensland Legislative Assembly district of Redcliffe on 20 August 2005. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting Labor member and Speaker Ray Hollis....
on the same day. Both contests resulted in the Labor Party losing the seat to the rival 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...
. Michael Caltabiano
Michael Caltabiano
Michael Caltabiano is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party member of the Brisbane City Council from 1996 to 2005, and a Liberal member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 2005 to 2006....
was elected as the new member for Chatsworth.
Background
Terry Mackenroth first entered parliament at the 1977 state electionQueensland state election, 1977
Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 12 November 1977 to elect the 82 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.The election resulted in a fourth consecutive victory for the National-Liberal Coalition under Joh Bjelke-Petersen...
and held the seat of Chatsworth
Electoral district of Chatsworth
The district of Chatsworth is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland. The electorate is centred on the south-eastern suburbs of Brisbane and stretches north to Tingalpa, west to Carina Heights, east to Tingalpa Creek and south to Bulimba...
at every election thereafter. When Labor came to power in 1989, Mackenroth became a minister under the premiership of Wayne Goss
Wayne Goss
Wayne Keith Goss was Premier of Queensland from 7 December 1989 until 19 February 1996.-Early life:He was born at Mundubbera, Queensland and educated at Inala High School and the University of Queensland...
and remained so until the downfall of the Goss government in 1996. When Labor returned to power under the leadership of Peter Beattie
Peter Beattie
Peter Douglas Beattie , Australian politician, was the 36th Premier of the Australian state of Queensland for nine years and leader of the Australian Labor Party in that state for eleven and a half years...
in 1998, Mackenroth was once again made a minister. From 2000 onwards he served as Deputy Premier under Beattie, and from 2001 he was Treasurer.
On 25 July 2005, Mackenroth announced his retirement from politics. He had been planning to wait until the following month, but the retirement of fellow Labor MP Ray Hollis
Ray Hollis
Raymond Keith "Ray" Hollis is a former Australian politician. Born in London, England, he migrated to Australia in 1962 as a merchant seaman and worked in a variety of occupations, including a railway worker, cook, paper mill operator, insurance salesman and a position with the Victorian...
and the resulting cabinet reshuffle caused him to bring forward his own resignation.
Candidates
Labor chose school teacher Chris Forrester to defend the seat they'd held for the previous 28 years.The Liberal Party chose Brisbane City Councillor—and so-called "factional warrior"—Michael Caltabiano
Michael Caltabiano
Michael Caltabiano is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party member of the Brisbane City Council from 1996 to 2005, and a Liberal member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 2005 to 2006....
as their candidate. Caltabiano held the council ward of Chandler, which overlapped with the state seat of Chatsworth.
Results
Aftermath
The by-election win of Michael CaltabianoMichael Caltabiano
Michael Caltabiano is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party member of the Brisbane City Council from 1996 to 2005, and a Liberal member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 2005 to 2006....
, along with that of Terry Rogers in Redcliffe, was a filip for the Liberal Party, who increased their numbers in the Legislative Assembly from five to seven. However, the Liberal Party's hold on these two seats did not last long; both returned to the Labor fold at the 2006 state election.
Labor's unsuccessful candidate for the Chatsworth by-election, Chris Forrester, had initially been chosen to contest Chatsworth again at the 2006 state election. However, he was dumped in favour of media personality Chris Bombolas
Chris Bombolas
Chris Bombolas is a former Australian politician and television presenter. A former sports reporter for the Nine Network in Brisbane, he served as the Labor member for Chatsworth in the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2009.Bombolas was born in Newcastle, New South Wales...
closer to the election. It was believed that Forrester would be chosen as Labor's candidate for the seat of Bonner
Division of Bonner
The Division of Bonner is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was created in 2004 and is named after Neville Bonner, the first Aborigine to serve in the Australian Parliament. Bonner served in the federal Senate as a Queensland Liberal Senator...
at the 2007 federal election instead. However, he lost party preselection to local councillor Kerry Rea
Kerry Rea
Kerry Marie Rea is an Australian politician. She was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from 2007 to 2010, representing the Division of Bonner in Queensland.Rea was born in Bundaberg, Queensland....
. Both Bombolas and Rea went on to win their respective election contests.