THE POLL BLUDGER
Victorian Legislative Assembly Election 2006

BROADMEADOWS
Labor 30.8%

Broadmeadows covers solidly working-class suburbs 15 kilometres to the north of the CBD, and has been in Labor's hands since 1962. John Brumby (right) came to the seat when it was agreed stop-gap Labor leader Jim Kennan would abandon the seat, allowing Brumby to assume the leadership after transferring from his upper house seat of Doutta Galla, which he had won at a March 1993 by-election following the retirement of Right faction colleague Bill Landeryou. Previously he had been the federal member for Bendigo from the election of the Hawke government in 1983 until his defeat at the 1990 election. As state party leader he picked up a 2.8 per cent at the state election of 30 March 1996, but this came from a low base and produced a net gain of only two seats. After failing to keep a lid on factional and union unrest, Brumby was persuaded to step aside in favour of Steve Bracks in March 1999. With Bracks's election victory later in the year, Brumby became Finance Minister, Assistant Treasurer and Regional Development Minister. While Bracks held the title of Treasurer for the government's first eight months, Brumby reportedly bore most of the workload and the role was officially conferred upon him in May 2000.

ASSESSMENT: Labor retain