QUEENSLAND ELECTION 2009

PINE RIVERS Labor 13.3%
New electorate Region: Outer Northern Brisbane Federal divisions: Dickson/Fisher
	CAROLYN MALE Labor (top) TIM WALLACE Family First LUKE MELLERS Liberal National (bottom) TONY COLE Greens

Pine Rivers is essentially a new name for Kurwongbah, which itself replaced an earlier incarnation of Pine Rivers in 1992. The newly drawn electorate takes 89 per cent of its voters from Kurwongbah, extending north-westwards from Strathpine (located 15 kilometres north of central Brisbane) through Lake Samsonvale to semi-rural territory beyond. Pine Rivers was one of the seats the National Party won from the Liberals at part of Joh Bjelke-Petersen's triumph in 1983. Margaret Woodgate won it for Labor in 1989 and subsequently became the inaugural member for Kurwongbah, which she held until her mid-term retirement in 1997. Linda Lavarch retained Kurwongbah for Labor at the ensuing by-election and easily held the seat thereafter, later emerging as a senior figure in the Beattie government. She resigned as Attorney-General shortly after the September 2006 election citing depression, following a period in which she had faced pressure over her handling of efforts to return to Jayant Patel to Australia.

Lavarch's announcement last September that she would not contest the election resolved a dilemma for Labor, who were struggling to find a seat for Glass House MP Caroyln Male. The redistribution had made Glass House an almost certain gain for the Liberal National Party, which for Male would have interrupted a career that looked to be leading to the ministry. Male hoped to be accommodated in the new seat of Morayfield, but appeared to be in a losing race for preselection against Left faction lawyer Mark Ryan. The availability of Pine Rivers also maintained factional continuity, as both Male and Lavarch are associated with Labor Forum.

PREDICTION: Labor retain