|
THE POLL BLUDGER DAWSON
Dawson has existed since the expansion of parliament in 1949, and has consistently been centred on the sugar capital of Mackay on Queensland's central coast. The redistribution has pushed the electorate northwards into the outskirts of Townsville, while in the south the shires of Mirani and Sarina are transferred to Capricornia, compensating it for losses to newly created Flynn. These changes affect about 6000 voters each, but have a negligible impact on the margin. The only Labor member in the seat's history was Whitlam government minister Rex Patterson, who won a by-election in February 1967 and held on tenuously until defeated in 1975. The seat has since remained with the Nationals, who survived close calls in 1983 (1.2 per cent) and 1990 (0.1 per cent, or 181 votes). De-Anne Kelly became the first woman ever to represent the National Party in the House of Representatives when she succeeded Ray Braithwaite as member in 1996. | |