THE POLL BLUDGER
Queensland Legislative Assembly Election 2006

CAIRNS
Labor 3.9%

RegionRegional City
FederalLeichhardt
CandidatesWendy Richardson (Liberal)
Michael Mansfield (Independent)
Desley Boyle (Labor)
Peter Graham Sandercock (Independent)
Steven Nowakowski (Greens)
Click here for PDF map at Parliament House site

The electorate of Cairns was created in 1888 and has been in either Labor or "independent Labor" hands since 1904, the centenary having been celebrated during the current term. However, Antony Green observes that the party's hold has been weakening as "the old blue-collar economy, based on sugar, mining and railways, is surpassed in importance by tourism and service industries for the rich retirees from down south". An 8.7 per cent swing at the 1995 election cut Labor's margin to 2.4 per cent, and their only comfortable win since came with the 2001 landslide. The member from 1983 to 1998 was Keith De Lacy, the Treasurer in the Goss government from 1989 to 1996. Upon his retirement, the state Labor organisation imposed Desley Boyle (left) as candidate without a ballot of local members, prompting local party identity Nev Bates to run against her as an independent. Bates was not greatly successful but he did contribute to Boyle's near-defeat at the hands of One Nation, who outpolled the Liberals and came within 2.3 per cent of taking the seat on their preferences. Boyle's opponent in 2001 was Naomi Wilson of the Nationals, member for the neighbouring electorate of Mulgrave from 1995 to 1998, whom she defeated with a two-party margin of 14.8 per cent. These gains were washed away by a 10.9 per cent Liberal swing which Boyle blamed on concerns over Cairns Base Hospital, a growing concern given local demographic developments.

Desley Boyle was a psychologist and former deputy mayor of Cairns before entering parliament, and has come to be associated with the Labor Forum/AWU faction. She was promoted to cabinet after the February 2004 election with the local government and planning portfolios, to which were added women's affairs in March and environment in August. Her Liberal opponent is Wendy Richardson (right), speech pathologist and daughter of north Queensland aviation pioneer Sir Robert Norman.

ASSESSMENT: Labor retain