THE POLL BLUDGER
New South Wales Legislative Assembly Election 2007

EAST HILLS
Labor 17.9%

East Hills is located about 15 kilometres south-west of the city centre, bounded to the south and west by the Georges River and to the east by Salt Pan Creek. Along with the suburb of East Hills itself, it extends north to Condell Park and east to Padstow. The redistribution has shifted the southern boundary to Georges River, adding nearly 6000 voters around Padstow Heights from Menai, and redrawn the northern boundary with Bankstown to add 2000 voters in Condell Park and remove 7000 around Georges Hall. The seat has been in Labor hands since its creation in 1953; former school teacher and ministerial adviser Alan Ashton (right) has held the seat since Pat Rogan (now the head of Clubs NSW) retired in 1999. According to Rachel Morris of the Daily Telegraph, it was widely believed that barrister John Finnane had been "shaping up" to take the seat, but he instead stuck with his legal career. Finnane came to national attention in 2002 when he imposed a 55-year sentence on gang rape leader Bilal Skaf. The Liberal candidate for the second successive election is Bankstown councillor Glenn Brookes.

ASSESSMENT: Labor retain