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THE POLL BLUDGER GIPPSLAND
Gippsland has covered the far east of Victoria since federation, and has been in National/Country Party hands since the party was founded in 1922. it currently covers Princes Highway towns of Morwell, Traralgon, Bairnsdale and Orbost, extending north to Maffra and Omeo. The seat appeared to be in serious jeopardy for the first time when the redistribution ahead of the 2004 election added the Labor-voting towns of Morwell and Traralgon in the far west, a symptom of the region's relative population decline. This cut the margin from 8.0 per cent to 2.6 per cent, but Nationals member Peter McGauran was returned with a 5.1 per cent swing. He had come to the seat in 1983, succeeding Fraser government minister Peter Nixon. | |