In May this year in Crikey, I expressed scepticism about the ALP’s decision to run Maxine McKew in Bennelong. It wasn’t that I didn’t think she could win, I just doubted the value of star recruits in marginal seats in general, writes Peter Brent.
Kingsford smith
Mackerras: Howard’s Bennelong defeat was thoroughly ignominious
Given that John Howard was, in 2007, the first prime minister to contest a marginal seat it could be argued that his defeat in this election was no particular humiliation for him — until I did some statistical tests on the Bennelong result, writes Malcolm Mackerras.
