by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...

for the

Queensland Legislative Assembly The Legislative Assembly of Queensland is the sole chamber of the unicameral Parliament of Queensland established under the Constitution of Queensland. Elections are held every four years and are done by full preferential voting. The Assembly ...

seat of Redcliffe took place on 22 February 2014.

Yvette D'Ath Yvette Maree D'Ath (born 26 July 1970) is an Australian politician. She is a Labor member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland representing the seat of Redcliffe. D'Ath is currently the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services and Leader ...

won the seat for

Labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

.Redcliffe by-election: Labor candidate Yvette D'Ath wins the Queensland seat - ABC 22 February 2014
/ref>

Background

The Liberal Nationals had won Redcliffe from

at the

2012 election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: ...

with 60 percent of the

two-party A two-party system is a political party system in which two major political parties consistently dominate the political landscape. At any point in time, one of the two parties typically holds a majority in the legislature and is usually referr ...

vote from a 15.7-point two-party swing compared to the statewide two-party swing of 13.7 points.2014 Redcliffe by-election: Antony Green ABC
/ref> On 25 March 2013, sitting MP

Scott Driscoll Scott Nicolaus Driscoll (born 16 April 1975) is a former Australian politician, national peak industry association president, company director and a businessman. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from March 2012 until ...

was suspended from the Liberal Nationals due to allegations of financial improprieties. He resigned from the party the following month and subsequently sat as an independent. Driscoll was the subject of complaints of

official misconduct An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority, (either their own or that of their s ...

referred to the

Crime and Misconduct Commission The Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) is an independent Queensland Government entity created to combat and reduce the incidence of major crime and to continuously improve the integrity of, and to reduce the incidence of misconduct in, the Q ...

in November 2012, followed by complaints of fraud to the

Queensland Police The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is the principal law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto ...

. It was alleged that he secretly controlled the taxpayer-funded Moreton Bay Regional Community Association and had funnelled $2600 in consultancy fees each week to his wife. It was also claimed that he used his electorate office to continue his work with the Queensland Retail Traders and Shopkeepers Association, and that his wife had a contract with the retailers' body worth $350,000 a year. His home was raided by the CMC in May 2013. The allegations were referred to the Queensland Parliament Ethics Committee in June 2013. On 19 November 2013, Driscoll was found guilty of 42 counts of

Contempt of Parliament In countries with a parliamentary system of government, contempt of Parliament is the offence of obstructing the legislature in the carrying out of its functions, or of hindering any legislator in the performance of his duties. Typology The conce ...

, four counts of failing to register interests and one count of misleading the House. The Parliament of Queensland Ethics Committee recommended that he be fined $90,000 and that the House vote to expel him from Parliament and declare the seat of Redcliffe vacant. He resigned from Parliament later that day, citing health reasons. However, both major parties had indicated they would support an expulsion motion, making Driscoll's removal from the legislature all but certain.

Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...

Campbell Newman Campbell Kevin Thomas Newman (born 12 August 1963) is a former Australian politician who served as the 38th Premier of Queensland from 26 March 2012 to 14 February 2015. He served as the member for Ashgrove in the Legislative Assembly of Quee ...

announced the 22 February 2014 election date on 13 January 2014. The writ for the election was issued on 28 January 2014. Electoral rolls closed 5pm 3 February 2014, candidate nominations closed midday 13 February 2014 with declaration of candidate nominations and ballot order draw occurring shortly after.

Nominations

The nine candidates in ballot paper order were as follows:

Katter's Australian Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP) is an agrarian political party in Australia. It was founded by Bob Katter, an independent and former Nationals MP for the seat of Kennedy, with a registration application lodged to the Australian Electoral Co ...

, which received 8.7 percent in

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

, did not re-contest Redcliffe at the by-election.

Polling

*On 13–14 December 2013, 774 Redcliffe voters were

robocall A robocall is a phone call that uses a computerized autodialer to deliver a pre-recorded message, as if from a robot. Robocalls are often associated with political and telemarketing phone campaigns, but can also be used for public service or emer ...

polled by ReachTEL. Labor's primary vote was at 42 percent with the LNP on 35 percent corresponding to a

vote of 54 percent to Labor with the LNP on 46 percent, a 14 percent two-party swing to Labor. *On 9–12 January 2014, 891 Redcliffe voters were robocall polled by Lonergan Research. Labor's primary vote was at 53 percent, but gave no figures for other parties or candidates, or a two-party vote. Crikey's ''Poll Bludger'' indicated the primary votes were Labor 53 percent, LNP 29 percent, Greens 7 percent, with remaining candidates on 10 percent. *On 14 January 2014, 95 Redcliffe voters were SMS polled by

612 ABC Brisbane ABC Radio Brisbane (callsign: 4QR) is an ABC Local Radio station in Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of the largest stations in the network, serving as a base for Queensland programming - many programs are broadcast across the ABC Local Radio ...

radio. Labor's primary vote was at 66 percent with the LNP on 17 percent, Greens 11 percent, with remaining candidates on 6 percent. No two-party vote was provided. *On 14 February 2014, 500 Redcliffe voters were robocall polled by Galaxy Research. Labor's primary vote was at 48 percent with the LNP on 35 percent corresponding to a two-party vote of 57 percent to Labor with the LNP on 43 percent, a 17 percent two-party swing to Labor.Galaxy Poll ahead of Redcliffe by-election reveals primary support for LNP has dropped since election: Courier Mail 15 February 2014
/ref>

Result

Results are final. The ABC's

Antony Green Antony John Green (born 2 March 1960) is an Australian psephologist and commentator. He is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's chief election analyst. Early years and background Born in Warrington, Lancashire, in northern England, Gree ...

said at 7:20pm on election night that D'Ath had reclaimed the seat for Labor. The by-election proved to be the beginning of the end for the

Newman government Campbell Newman led the Liberal National Party of Queensland to its first victory at the 2012 state election. His interim Ministry of three members was sworn in on 26 March 2012, pending his determination of the make-up of his full Ministry. His ...

, which suffered a shock defeat at the 2015 state election.

External links

2014 Redcliffe by-election: Antony Green ABC

2014 Redcliffe by-election: ECQ

References