Flynn

The New Wright

Fairly safe Nationals, 7.7%

Flynn is a rural seat that runs east-west along central Queensland, taking in Gladstone, Biloela and Miriam Vale, a southern section around Gayndah, and the area west of Rockhampton from Duaringa and Emerald to Longreach and Winton. There is no sitting member as the seat was only created at last year’s redistribution, but it has already been the centre of controversy. The Australian Electoral Commission originally named it ‘Wright’, after the poet Judith Wright. Locals, however, associated that name with the disgraced former Queensland Labor leader and federal MP Keith Wright, who served time in the nineties after being convicted of a range of sex offences.

There may be more trouble to come. The coal industry dominates much of Flynn, and concern over climate change means the future of the coal industry will be a crucial election issue. Coal has the potential to hit Labor the way Tasmania’s forests hit the party at the 2004 election, and their candidate, local lawyer Chris Trevor, may have to mollify union concerns. On paper, Flynn is a Nationals seat, and their candidate, Glenn Churchill, starts as the front-runner to become Flynn’s first MP. There was still no Liberal candidate at the time of going to press, and it has been reported that the Liberals might not stand in Flynn in return for Nationals agreement on a joint Senate ticket.

Declared Candidates

• Glenn Churchill, The Nationals
• Jason Rose, Liberal Party
• Chris Trevor, Australian Labor Party

2 PARTY PREFERRED BOOTH SWINGS 2004 ELECTION

OTHER QUEENSLAND MARGINALS

 

Bonner

Blair

Herbert

Longman

Moreton

Petrie

 

FULL LIST OF MARGINALS