QUEENSLAND ELECTION 2009

IPSWICH Labor 21.4%
Region: Central Ipswich Federal division: Blair
	RACHEL NOLAN Labor (top) SUZIE HOLMES Liberal National (bottom) PETER LUXTON Greens ELWYN DENMAN Family First

The electorate of Ipswich covers the central and southern parts of the western Brisbane satellite city that bears its name, with its northern boundary defined by the Bremer River. The city's outer northern and western suburbs are in Ipswich West, while the eastern area constitutes Bundamba. Ipswich has been a stronghold for Labor for most of its history, although former Liberal leader Sir Llew Edwards held the seat from 1972 until his retirement in 1983. As would be expected on Pauline Hanson's home turf, One Nation polled strongly here in 1998 with 39.5 per cent of the primary vote, but Labor held on with a margin of 3.4 per cent. One Nation's candidate Heather Hill went on to be elected to the Senate later in the year, but a High Court ruling on citizenship issues prevented her taking her seat, which instead went to Len Harris.

Ipswich has been held since 2001 by Rachel Nolan, who is associated with the Labor Unity faction. She was promoted to parliamentary secretary in the disability services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partnerships and multicultural affairs portfolios in the reshuffle that followed Peter Beattie's departure in September 2007. Nolan's predecessor in Ipswich was David Hamill, who served as Treasurer in the first term of the Beattie government, at one point standing down over his involvement in the gambling-contracts-for-the-boys Netbet affair.

PREDICTION: Labor retain