THE POLL BLUDGER
New South Wales Legislative Assembly Election 2007

VAUCLUSE
Liberal 10.9%

Vaucluse is based around the South Head of Port Jackson, extending west along the harbour to Rushcutter Bay and south along the coast to Bondi Beach. The redistribution has expanded the seat westwards to take in 5000 voters around Woollahra from the old seat of Bligh, now renamed Sydney. The seat has existed since proportional representation was abolished in 1927, and has been in conservative hands at all times. The previous member was Michael Yabsley, who was elected unopposed in 1988 after the death of Ray Aston, having lost Bligh to independent Clover Moore at the election earlier in the year. When Yabsley resigned mid-term in 1994, the preselection to replace him was won by 39-year-old Peter Debnam (left), who defeated John Brogden and Michael Hughes, son of Gorton government Attorney-General Tom Hughes and brother of future Sydney lord mayor Lucy Turnbull. In what was described as a surprise result, Debnam beat Brogden 64 votes to 55 at the final ballot.

Debnam had been a naval officer earlier in life before embarking on a complicated range of business ventures, details of which have been picked through by political opponents who claim they betray a record of commercial failure. He nonetheless rose swiftly up the Liberal ladder, becoming Shadow Planning and Housing Minister in 1997 and Shadow Treasurer in 1999. The following year he was sacked from the front bench after he told then-leader Kerry Chikarovski she should step down. The rift healed sufficiently for him to resume the Shadow Treasurer role in January 2002, only to lose it four months later when newly installed leader John Brogden took it for himself. Debnam was reassigned to transport and consumer affairs, then to police after the 2003 election, and back to transport in April 2005. When John Brogden resigned as leader in August 2005, it was initially thought that Ku-ring-gai MP Barry O'Farrell would have the numbers to succeed him, with one source quoted by the ABC's Stateline putting his support at 19 votes to Debnam's 10. However, O'Farrell cleared the path for Debnam when he withdrew in the wake of Brogden's apparent suicide attempt, saying it was not possible to offer a "united alternative government" if "you are looking over your shoulder". This was widely interpreted as a reference to the rough play of the Right faction, which had thrown its weight behind Debnam.

Labor's candidate is Alison Rahill (right), national research officer for the Community and Public Sector Union.

ASSESSMENT: Liberal retain