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THE POLL BLUDGER WANNON
Wannon covers the south-western corner of Victoria including Warranambool and Portland on the coast and Hamilton and Ararat inland. The seat was highly marginal until 1955, frequently changing hands between Labor and the main conservative party of the day (it was never held by the Country Party), until the retirement of Labor member Donald McLeod in 1955. It was then won for the Liberals by 25-year-old Malcolm Fraser, who had come within 17 votes of defeating McLeod in 1954 and now won the seat with an 8.5 per cent swing in 1955. Fraser increased his margin at the next four elections, and the seat has been secure for the Liberals ever since. When Fraser retired after the defeat of his government at the 1983 election, the seat passed to David Hawker at a by-election. Hawker never made it off the back-bench and has become the target of speculation about preselection challenges. He has finally found a high-profile role in the current term after becoming Speaker, landing a surprise win the party room vote to succeed the retiring Neil Andrew. | |