|
|
|
|
| Australian federal election, 2016
Division of Wakefield, South Australia
North of Adelaide: Craigmore, Elizabeth, Evanston, Gawler
Sitting member: Nick Champion (Labor), elected 2007
Enrolment at close of rolls: 112,237
2013 Labor majority over Liberal 3.4%
|
Candidates in ballot-paper order:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
1. Richard Inwood
Nick Xenophon Team |
2. Marilyn Phillips
Family First |
3. Nick Champion
Australian Labor Party |
4. Kathleen Bourne
Liberal Party |
5. Craig Vanstone
Australian Greens |
6. Ralph Anderson
Christian Democrats |
7. John Bolton
Independent |
2013 results
Statistics and history
Wakefield has existed since South Australia was first divided into electorates in 1903. For most of its history it was a rural seat based in the
Riverland area east of Adelaide, extending at times into the state's far north. The 2004 redistribution, however, abolished the safe Labor seat of
Bonython and shifted Wakefield into the nothern suburbs of Adelaide, creating a hybrid seat consisting of solid working-class suburbs such as
Elizabeth and parts of Salisbury, and Liberal-voting country towns such as Clare, Gawler and Kapunda.
The new Wakefield, with its combination of working-class suburbia and country towns, has one of the lowest median family income levels in
Australia, mainly because of its high proportion of people employed in manufacturing. It also has very low proportions of people born in non
English speaking countries and of people in professional occupations.
On its old boundaries Wakefield was usually a safe conservative seat, although Labor won it in the landslide year of 1943. In 1983 Neil Andrew won
it for the Liberals, and he became and Speaker of the House in 1998. In 2004, after the redistribution, Andrew retired, and the Labor member for
Bonython, Martyn Evans, was expected to win the seat. But the northern Adelaide suburbs, like other outer suburban areas across Australia,
rejected Mark Latham, and the Liberal David Fawcett had an unexpected win. It was no surprise that he was defeated in the big swing to Labor in
2007 - he is now a Liberal Senator.
Nick Champion, Labor MP for Wakefield since 2007, was an official with the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees' Association and a state
ministerial adviser before his election. He has been a shadow parliamentary secretary since 2014. Despite Champion's modest majority of 3.4%,
he seems to be secure for this election. The Liberal candidate is Kathleen Bourne, whose occupation is not stated.
These maps are the property of Adam Carr and may not be reproduced without his permission.
Back to main page
Prospective pendulum, showing all candidates
State and territory maps, showing new boundaries
The thirty seats that will decide the election
Other seats of interest
|
|
|