THE POLL BLUDGER
New South Wales Legislative Assembly Election 2007

WAGGA WAGGA
Liberal 12.7%

Wagga Wagga is an elongated electorate running west to east through the shires of Lockhart, Wagga Wagga and Tumut. The seat formerly extended south to the Victorian border, but the redistribution has sent the shires of Holbrook and Tumbarumba and their 4000 voters to Albury. In exchange, it gains 7500 voters in the Shire of Tumut from Burrinjuck. The seat has had a continued existence going back to 1927, changing hands from Country Party to Labor in 1941, and Labor to Liberal in 1957. The Nationals fielded a candidate when Joe Schipp retired in 1999, recording 22.9 per cent to the Liberals' 25.4 per cent and coming within 398 votes of leading at the crucial point in the count. The victorious Liberal candidate was Daryl Maguire (right), previously chairman of the Wagga Wagga Chamber of Commerce. Maguire has since kept a fairly low profile, though he was mentioned as a candidate for a front-bench position when Epping MP Andrew Tink resigned in March 2006.

ASSESSMENT: Liberal retain