|
THE POLL BLUDGER MITCHELL
Mitchell covers Sydney's northern suburbs from Baulkham Hills and North Rocks out through Castle Hill and Annangrove to Box Hill and Marayla. It has shrunk considerably since its creation in 1949, turning from marginal to safe Liberal as it shed Blacktown, St Marys and Riverstone. Labor's only wins came in 1961 and 1972, Alan Cadman recovering the seat for the Liberals in 1974. His margin was in double digits at every election thereafter, assisted by redistributions that increased his margin by 4.2 per cent in 1977 and 8.3 per cent in 1984. Cadman was lucky to survive a preselection challenge ahead of the 2004 election, and his victory appeared to be conditional on the understanding that this turn would be his last. He nonetheless threw his hat into the ring once again, but withdrew on the day of the vote as it had become obvious to all that he faced defeat from the Right's Alex Hawke. Cadman has since been calling for an inquiry into the preselection process, and there have been suggestions he might run as an independent. | |