THE POLL BLUDGER
Victorian Legislative Assembly Election 2006

POLWARTH
Liberal 9.5%

Polwarth covers more than 100 kilometres of western coast, from Peterborough through Apollo Bay to Lorne, and inland to Colac, Camperdown and Cressy. The seat has existed since 1889 and has always been in conservative hands, but was only held by the Country Party between 1940 and 1949. The member since 1999 has been Terry Mulder (right), former operator of a Barongarook cleaning business, who won preselection on the retirement of veteran member Ian Smith. He first had to overcome a high profile Nationals candidate in former Geelong Football Club legend Paul Couch, who finished third behind the Labor candidate. Mulder became Shadow Water Resources Minister during his first term and Shadow Transport Minister in his second; he put his hand up when Robert Doyle quit the leadership in May, but agreed to give Ted Baillieu a clear run after the prospect of Jeff Kennett's return rapidly came and went.

In the second week of the campaign, Ted Baillieu promised a Liberal government would spend $80 million duplicating Princes Highway between Winchelsea and Geelong, which has been the scene of a number of fatal accidents.

ASSESSMENT: Liberal retain