QUEENSLAND ELECTION 2009

SURFERS PARADISE Liberal 12.1%
Region: Gold Coast Federal division: Moncrieff
	DON MAGIN Independent BRIDGET MAIZEY Greens CALEB ROOK Labor (bottom) JOHN-PAUL LANGBROEK Liberal National (top) WENDY COE DS4SEQ

The electorate of Surfers Paradise extends along the coast from Broadbeach north to the Broadwater Spit, and inland through the southern part of Southport to Ashmore. The redistribution has made two minor changes, adding 700 voters at Broadbeach from abolished Robina and transferring 1700 in northern Ashmore to Southport. The seat was held by the Nationals from its creation in 1972 until 1977, when a change in the direction of Labor preferences delivered it to the Liberals for a term. It was recovered for the Nationals in 1980 by future Premier Rob Borbidge, who held the seat until his retirement in the wake of the 2001 election disaster. Borbidge puzzlingly conceded he had lost his seat on election night, but went on to win by 5.3 per cent.

The resulting by-election on May 5, 2001 was a further disaster for the Nationals, whose candidate vanished among a field of 12 that included the Liberal Party's John-Paul Langbroek (brother of Kate from The Panel), who more than doubled the Nationals' vote. The clear winner with 35.9 per cent of the vote was independent candidate Lex Bell, a former Gold Coast mayor. Bell entered the 2004 election encumbered by his involvement in the financial collapse of private college St Stephen's, whose backers were bailed out by a party benefactor in what looked to many like a quid pro quo for a council rezoning decision. Bell's vote fell to 22.9 per cent and John-Paul Langbroek won the day in his second tilt as Liberal candidate, winning 44.7 per cent of the primary vote and a 13.9 per cent two-party margin over Labor.

Langbroek became Shadow Public Works and Housing Minister when a coalition agreement was reached in September 2005, and was progressively promoted until taking on the health portfolio after the 2006 election. In late November 2007 he was enlisted by Clayfield MP Tim Nicholls as his candidate for deputy when he challenged the leadership of Bruce Flegg, but the emergence of Caloundra MP Mark McArdle as a compromise leadership candidate prevented this from coming to fruition. Langbroek moved from health to education when the Liberal National Party merger was concluded in August 2008.

PREDICTION: Liberal National retain