Division of Capricornia

The Division of Capricornia is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland.

Capricornia
Australian House of Representatives Division
Division of Capricornia in Queensland, as of the 2019 federal election.
Created1901
MPMichelle Landry
PartyLiberal National
NamesakeTropic of Capricorn
Electors102,577 (2019)
Area90,903 km2 (35,097.8 sq mi)

History
The Tropic of Capricorn, the division's namesake

The division was one of the original 65 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named after the Tropic of Capricorn, which runs through the Division. It is located on the central Queensland coast and its centre has always been the city of Rockhampton. On its current boundaries it also includes the town of Yeppoon and Ooralea, a southern suburb of Mackay.

The first election saw Alexander Paterson, with 51% of votes, narrowly elected over the ALP candidate Wallace Nelson. For most of its subsequent history it has been a fairly safe seat for the ALP. This was especially true when Gladstone was part of the seat from 1901 to 1984. Even after Gladstone was redistributed to Hinkler in 1984 (it is now part of Flynn), it remained one of the few non-metropolitan seats where Labor consistently did well. Labor held it for all but two terms from 1961 to 2013, the two exceptions being the high-tide elections of 1975 and 1996. Its best-known member was Frank Forde, who was briefly Prime Minister of Australia in 1945.

Capricornia is currently held by Michelle Landry for the Liberal National Party who in 2016, became the first conservative MP to serve more than one term in the seat since George Pearce.

Members
Image Member Party Term Notes
  Alexander Paterson
(1844–1908)		 Independent Free Trade 30 March 1901 –
23 November 1903		 Retired
  David Thomson
(1856–1926)		 Labour 16 December 1903 –
12 December 1906		 Lost seat
  Edward Archer
(1871–1940)		 Anti-Socialist 12 December 1906 –
26 May 1909		 Was the first MP who chose to make an affirmation rather than swearing an oath. Lost seat. Later elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Normanby in 1914
  Commonwealth Liberal 26 May 1909 –
13 April 1910
  William Higgs
(1862–1951)		 Labor 13 April 1910 –
January 1920		 Previously a member of the Senate. Served as minister under Hughes. Lost seat
  Independent January 1920 –
September 1920
  Nationalist September 1920 –
16 December 1922
  Frank Forde
(1890–1983)		 Labor 16 December 1922 –
28 September 1946		 Previously held the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Rockhampton. Served as minister under Scullin, Curtin and Chifley. Served as Prime Minister in 1945. Lost seat. Later elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Flinders in 1955
  Charles Davidson
(1897–1985)		 Country 28 September 1946 –
10 December 1949		 Transferred to the Division of Dawson
  George Pearce
(1917–)		 Liberal 10 December 1949 –
9 December 1961		 Served as Chief Government Whip in the House under Menzies. Lost seat. Currently the oldest living former member of the House of Representatives
  George Gray
(1903–1967)		 Labor 9 December 1961 –
2 August 1967		 Died in office
  Dr Doug Everingham
(1923–2017)		 Labor 30 September 1967 –
13 December 1975		 Served as minister under Whitlam. Lost seat
  Colin Carige
(1938–2002)		 National Country 13 December 1975 –
10 December 1977		 Lost seat
  Dr Doug Everingham
(1923–2017)		 Labor 10 December 1977 –
26 October 1984		 Retired
  Keith Wright
(1942–2015)		 Labor 26 October 1984 –
1993		 Previously held the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Rockhampton. Lost preselection and then lost seat
  Independent 1993 –
13 March 1993
  Marjorie Henzell
(1948–)		 Labor 13 March 1993 –
2 March 1996		 Lost seat
  Paul Marek
(1964–)		 Nationals 2 March 1996 –
3 October 1998		 Lost seat
  Kirsten Livermore
(1969–)		 Labor 3 October 1998 –
5 August 2013		 Retired
  Michelle Landry
(1962–)		 Liberal Nationals 7 September 2013 –
present		 Incumbent

Election results
Main article: Electoral results for the Division of Capricornia
This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2019 Australian federal election in Queensland § Capricornia[edit]
2019 Australian federal election: Capricornia[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal National Michelle Landry 36,163 40.65 +0.59
Labor Russell Robertson 21,120 23.74 −14.33
One Nation Wade Rothery 15,105 16.98 +16.98
Greens Paul Bambrick 4,307 4.84 +0.12
Katter's Australian George Birkbeck 3,269 3.67 −3.40
United Australia Lindsay Sturgeon 3,250 3.65 +3.65
Independent Ken Murray 2,211 2.49 −2.35
Conservative National Grant Pratt 1,905 2.14 +2.14
Democratic Labour Richard Temple 1,637 1.84 +1.84
Total formal votes 88,967 93.67 −2.76
Informal votes 6,008 6.33 +2.76
Turnout 94,975 92.58 −0.47
Two-party-preferred result
Liberal National Michelle Landry 55,475 62.35 +11.72
Labor Russell Robertson 33,492 37.65 −11.72
Liberal National hold Swing+11.72

References
  1. Capricornia, QLD, Tally Room 2019, Australian Electoral Commission.

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