2009 Pembroke state by-election

* * *

|  | 1 August 2009 |

|
|

|  | First party  | Second party

|
|

|  |

IND

Candidate  | Vanessa Goodwin | Richard James
Party  | Liberal | Independent
First preference vote  | 7,812 | 2,285
Percentage  | 38.55% | 11.28%
Swing  | 38.55pp  | 7.10pp
Three-candidate-preferred  | 51.05% | 27.73%

* * *

| Third party  | Fourth party

GRN

IND

Candidate  | Wendy Heatley  | Honey Bacon
Party  | Greens | Independent
First preference vote  | 2,604  | 2,110
Percentage  | 12.85%  | 10.41%
Swing  | 0.56pp  | 10.41pp
Three-candidate-preferred  | 21.22%  | Eliminated

* * *

| MLC before election

Allison Ritchie
Labor

| Elected MLC

Vanessa Goodwin
Liberal

|

A by-election was held in the Tasmanian Legislative Council division of Pembroke on 1 August 2009.[1] It was triggered by the resignation of sitting member Allison Ritchie.

## Background

[edit]

Ritchie was first elected to the Legislative Council in 2001 at the age of 26, the youngest person ever elected to that chamber. She spent nine and a half weeks as Minister for Planning and Workplace Relations in 2008, but resigned due to ill health.[2] She announced her resignation from parliament amid allegations of nepotism on 20 June 2009.[3]

## Candidates

[edit]

The writ for the by-election was issued on 30 June 2009; nominations closed on 9 July.[1] The eight candidates were:

* Independent -- Honey Bacon, widow of former Tasmanian Premier Jim Bacon.
* Independent -- Peter Cooper, a Clarence City Alderman (2008-present).
* Independent -- James Crotty, former Labor candidate and considered the unofficial representative of the Government.[4]
* Liberal Party -- Vanessa Goodwin, a 39-year-old lawyer and criminologist, was previously the Liberal candidate for the state seat of Franklin in 2006 and the federal candidate for the equivalent seat in 2007, achieving a rare swing to the Liberal Party.
* Tasmanian Greens -- Wendy Heatley, a 46-year-old lawyer.
* Independent -- Richard James, a Clarence City Alderman( 1984-89, 1994-present). James previously contested Pembroke in 1995, 1999 and 2007.
* Independent -- John Peers, a Clarence City Alderman (1994-present).
* Independent -- Kit (Sharon) Soo, a public relations consultant.

## Results

[edit]

Pembroke state by-election, 2009[5] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Vanessa Goodwin | 7,812  | 38.55  | +38.55
| Greens | Wendy Heatley  | 2,604  | 12.85  | –0.56
| Independent | Richard James  | 2,285  | 11.28  | –7.10
| Independent Labor | Honey Bacon  | 2,110  | 10.41  | +10.41
| Independent | John Peers  | 1,942  | 9.58  | +0.32
| Independent Labor | James Crotty  | 1,783  | 8.80  | +8.80
| Independent | Peter Cooper  | 1,510  | 7.45  | +7.45
| Independent | Kit (Sharon) Soo  | 219  | 1.08  | +1.08
Total formal votes  | 20,265  | 96.48  | –0.26
Informal votes  | 740  | 3.52  | +0.26
Turnout | 21,005  | 85.05  | –2.47
After distribution of preferences
| Liberal | Vanessa Goodwin | 10,143  | 51.05  |
| Independent | Richard James  | 5,510  | 27.73  |
| Greens | Wendy Heatley  | 4,215  | 21.22  |
| Liberal gain from Labor | Swing | N/A |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Tasmanian Legislative Council Pembroke 2009". Archived from the original on 14 August 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
2. ^ Minister resigns from Cabinet, ABC News, November 24, 2008
3. ^ Allison Ritchie quits Tas Parliament, ABC News, June 20, 2009
4. ^ ABC Elections
5. ^ "Pembroke by-election results table: Tasmanian Electoral Commission". Archived from the original on 2 October 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2009.

## External links

[edit]

* Pembroke 2009 by-election candidates: ABC elections
* Pembroke 2009 by-election results: ABC elections
* Pembroke 2009 by-election commentary: ABC elections
* Tasmanian Electoral Commission Final Results - 11 Aug 2009