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THE POLL BLUDGER LYNE
This north coast New South Wales seat was created in 1949 and has usually been based around Port Macquarie, although this area was in Cowper between 1977 and 1984. It has been held at all times by the National/Country Party, although Mark Vaile had a tough struggle over Liberal candidate John Barrett when sitting member Bruce Cowan retired in 1993, finishing only 233 votes ahead at the second last count. Vaile subsequently enjoyed an unexpected rise to cabinet in 1997 after National Party ministers John Sharp and Peter McGauran resigned over that year's travel rorts affair, and had become John Anderson's heir apparent as party leader by the time he quit the job in July 2005. | |