THE POLL BLUDGER
New South Wales Legislative Assembly Election 2007

CASTLE HILL
Liberal 10.8%

Castle Hill is a narrow south-to-north electorate located 25 kilometres north-west of the Sydney city centre, extending from Carlingford north to Castle Hill itself. As well as changing the name from The Hills, the redistribution has added 8000 voters around Carlingford from Baulkham Hills to the west, and transferred 12,000 voters at Glenhaven to Hawkesbury in the north. To the east, adjustments with Epping and Hornsby have removed 10,000 voters at Cherrybrook and added 2500 further to the south. The net effect of these changes has been to cut 3.3 per cent from the Liberal margin.

The Hills was created at the 1962 election when it was won by Max Ruddock, father of Philip, who held the seat until 1976. Michael Richardson (left) became member at a 1993 by-election after his predecessor Tony Packard was convicted of using surveillance devices on customers at his car yard. Richardson won preselection ahead of Steven Pringle, future member for Hawkesbury, and Baulkham Hills mayor Peggy Womersley. The Labor opposition at the time claimed Womersley was persuaded not to run as an independent through a government promise to fund local public works projects, allegedly in breach of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act.

After the 1999 election Richardson was widely reported as being on hit lists of "dead wood" members, having put noses out of joint through his criticism of party state director Remo Nogarotto and backing of Chris Hartcher over Barry O'Farrell for the deputy leadership. He later backed unrealised moves for Hartcher to challenge Kerry Chikarovski, who persistently overlooked him for the front bench, before throwing his weight behind John Brogden's successful bid in March 2002. Brogden rewarded Richardson with the position of Shadow Housing and Corrective Services Minister, which he exchanged for environment after the 2003 election.

Challengers to Richardson have emerged at each of the last three preselections, from tourism operator Matthew Hingerty in 1999 and Hornsby councillor Nick Berman in 2003. For the current election he was reportedly under threat from high-profile Australian Family Association spokesman Damien Tudehope, but he saw this off with cross-factional backing. It was also said in 2004 that he might make way for Ross Cameron, who had lost his seat of Parramatta at the federal election. Labor candidate Alex Mustafa (right) is a member of the Young Labor state executive who has had unkind things to say about Anthony Albanese and Eric Roozendal.

ASSESSMENT: Liberal retain