Electorate: Shortland
Margin: Labor 14.7%
Location: Hunter Region, New South Wales
In a nutshell: Part of a complex of safe Labor seats in the Hunter region, Shortland has been in Labor hands since its creation in 1949. Current member Jill Hall succeeded Peter Morris as member in 1998, having previously represented the area in state parliament as member for Swansea.
The candidates
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Electorate analysis: Created in 1949, Shortland has covered a shifting area immediately south of Newcastle which currently extends from Charlestown south through Swansea to Lake Budgewoi, with Lake Macquarie as the western boundary. It has not been affected by the most recent redistribution. Like most natural Labor seats in New South Wales it swung to the Liberals massively in 1996 (9.2 per cent) and substantially in 2001 (3.4 per cent) with a correction in between in 1998 (4.7 per cent). Jill Hall is only the third member since the electorate’s creation in 1949, the others being Charles Griffiths (1949-1972) and Peter Morris (1972-1998). Hall is a member of the Left faction who held the corresponding state seat of Swansea from 1995 to 1998. After entering federal politics in 1998 she was succeeded in Swansea by her electorate officer Milton Orkopoulos, who would go on to be sentenced to 13 years in prison on child sex and drug supply charges.
Analysis written by William Bowe. Read Bowe’s blog, The Poll Bludger.
