QUEENSLAND ELECTION 2009

COOK Labor 11.4%
Region: Cape York Federal divisions: Leichhardt/Kennedy
	MICHAELANGELO NEWIE Independent NEVILLE ST JOHN-WOOD Greens CRAIG BATCHELOR Liberal National (bottom) JASON O'BRIEN Labor (top)

Cook includes Cape York Peninsula and the Torres Strait islands, extending south along the coast almost as far as Cairns. Towns in the latter area such as Cooktown, Miallo and Wonga vote strongly for the Nationals, but are swamped by overwhelming support for Labor in the northern communities that contribute to the electorate's 26 per cent indigenous population. The redistribution has transferred around 3000 voters at Palm Cove north of Cairns to Barron River, while adding 8000 around the rural centres of Mareeba and Chillagoe further west from abolished Tablelands. This has slightly weakened Labor's position, reducing their margin from 15.1 per cent to 11.4 per cent.

Cook has had an uninterrupted existence going back to 1875, and has been in Labor hands on all but a few occasions since 1915. The last such occasion came with the landslide of 1974, when National Party candidate Eric Deeral became the first and thus far only Aboriginal member of the Queensland parliament. The seat was subsequently held for Labor by Robert Scott from 1977 and Steve Bredhauer from 1989. Nationals candidate and Cooktown mayor Graham Elmes put in a strong bid for the seat upon Bredhauer's retirement in 2004, but it was retained for Labor by Jason O'Brien, an electorate officer to Bredhauer. O'Brien made himself a little too visible during his first term of parliament, being involved in the “Winegate” scandal, electorate car accidents and a run-in with the girlfriend of Burnett MP Rob Messenger, for which he was ordered to apologise. The highest profile moment of his second term came when he threatened to resign in March 2008 if action wasn't taken to improve security at remote health centres after the alleged rape of a nurse.

Padraic Murphy of The Australian reported in the second week of the campaign that Aboriginal leaders, specifically Hopevale mayor Greg McLean and Kowanyama mayor Thomas Hudson, were accusing Labor member Jason O'Brien of failing to represent his indigenous constituents. Variously said to be at issue were “the Bligh Government's move to make Aboriginal communities full shire councils”, and – in O'Brien's view – McLean's “blue with Noel Pearson over welfare reform”.

PREDICTION: Labor retain