THE POLL BLUDGER
Victorian Legislative Assembly Election 2006

BRIGHTON
Liberal 7.4%

Brighton covers bayside suburbs to the south of St Kilda, an area affluent enough that Labor has never once been able to win the seat since its creation in 1856. Kennett government Treasurer Alan Stockdale held the seat from 1985 until his retirement in 1999, which precipitated a preselection brawl between the rival Kennett and Costello-Kroger camps. The former backed Louise Asher (right), Kennett government Small Business and Tourism Minister and member for the upper house province of Monash, while the latter instead wished for Asher to take the vacated seat of Kew so Brighton could be left for Costello adviser Mitch Fifield. Asher went on to easily defeat Fifield, while the Kew preselection went to another Kennett-backed candidate, Andrew McIntosh. The defeat of the Kennett government brought a major promotion to deputy leader and Shadow Treasurer, but the latter role was reassigned to Robert Clark in an October 2001 reshuffle that left her with the industry and employment, major projects and tourism portfolios. Shortly afterwards there were reports that her deputy leadership was under threat from a backbench revolt intended as a prelude to a move against Napthine. She ultimately agreed to relinquish the role was Napthine was deposed in August 2002 by Robert Doyle, a member of the rival Kroger-Costello camp. After the 2002 election defeat, Asher held the manufacturing and exports porfolios and industry, employment and major projects thereafter. She recovered the deputy leadership when Phil Honeywood stood aside on announcing his impendeing retirement in April 2006, a month before Ted Baillieu replaced Doyle as leader.

ASSESSMENT: Liberal retain