THE POLL BLUDGER
New South Wales Legislative Assembly Election 2007

WALLSEND
Labor 19.8%

Wallsend covers the north-western suburbs of Newcastle, from Waratah West and New Lambton Heights west to Wallsend and Glendale. The redistribution has pushed the electorate southwards, adding more than 2000 voters at New Lambton Heights from Charlestown, 1500 at Argenton from Lake Macquarie and 2500 at Waratah West from Newcastle. There has been a corresponding loss of 8500 voters in the area around Black Hill to Cessnock in the west. The seat has an impressive record as a Labor stronghold, having been held by the party at all times since its creation in 1894. It was abolished during the proportional representation years from 1920 and 1927, and again from 1930 to 1968 when it was replaced by Kurri Kurri, also a safe Labor seat. The member since 1988, John Mills, will retire at the coming election. His replacement as Labor candidate is Newcastle councillor Sonia Hornery (right), whose unopposed preselection was the only Labor transition in the Hunter region that proceeded smoothly.

ASSESSMENT: Labor retain