THE POLL BLUDGER
Queensland Legislative Assembly Election 2006

BEAUDESERT
Nationals 8.1%

Beaudesert is located inland of the Gold Coast seats of Gaven and Mudgeeraba, covering the 80 kilometre distance from Rosevale in the west to Tamborine in the east. Labor's vote matches the Nationals in the semi-urban area around Jimboomba in the north-east, but diminishes rapidly deeper in the interior. Nationals member Kev Lingard (left) is the longest serving current member of the parliament, having held Beaudesert since its creation in 1992, and its abolished predecessor Fassifern from 1983. Lingard's primary vote slumped from 56.3 per cent to 32.9 per cent in 1998 and then to 31.9 per cent in 2001, the latter result very nearly putting an end to a National/Country Party dominance in the area going back to 1935. Lingard only narrowly beat One Nation to second place, and was then able to ride over Labor on preferences to win by 2.0 per cent. Things went much more smoothly for him at the 2004 election, when his vote rose 16.5 per cent while One Nation's fell from 29.5 per cent to 10.5 per cent.

Kev Lingard's (left) career highlights have included 18 months in the Speaker's chair late in the life of the National Party government that was defeated in 1989, and the deputy party leadership from September 1992 to February 1998. He was sacked from the latter role by Premier Rob Borbidge due to a minor expenses irregularity that came to light after he was accused of having an affair with a staff member. His current portfolio responsibilities are for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy, disability services and sport. Labor candidate Brett Raguse (right) is a policy adviser to Local Government Minister Desley Boyle.

ASSESSMENT: Nationals retain