THE POLL BLUDGER
Victorian Legislative Assembly Election 2006

FOREST HILL
Labor 5.8%

Forest Hill is in the middle eastern suburbs of Melbourne, from Blackburn South east to Dandenong Creek. Labor's win here in 2002 was their first since the seat's creation in 1976, although John Cain's election victories left the seat highly marginal in the 1980s. A 12.3 per cent swing to Labor at the 2002 election saw Labor win every booth except the line-ball Weeden Heights, their vote boosted by the retirement of veteran Liberal member John Richardson and the high profile of Labor candidate Kirstie Marshall (left), who competed as an aerial skier in the 1994 and 1998 Winter Olympics and was recruited for the seat by the Labor Unity (Right) faction. Marshall enjoyed fame early in her first term when she was ejected from the parliamentary chamber for breastfeeding her new-born daughter. She also courted controversy by giving her mother a part-time job in her electorate office. It was reported in mid-2005 that the Liberals had approached high-profile Police Association secretary Paul Mullett to run against Marshall, but the plan did not survive exposure to daylight. They have instead nominated chartered accountant Neil Angus (right).

ASSESSMENT: Labor retain