NSW State Election 2011: Lane Cove
Electorate: Lane Cove
Margin: Liberal 12.4%
Region: Lower North Shore
Federal: North Sydney/Bennelong/Bradfield
Click here for NSW Electoral Commission map
The candidates
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ESTHER HENG
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Electorate analysis: Lane Cove covers a stretch of Sydney Harbour’s north shore inland of the city, bisected from south to north by the Lane Cove River. The seat was created when proportional representation was abolished in 1927 and has been held by the Liberal Party since it first contested a state election in 1947. In recent decades it has provided a seat for two Liberal leaders, John Dowd (from 1975 to 1991) and Kerry Chikarovski (from 1991 to 2003). Dowd served as Attorney-General in the first term of the Greiner government before announcing his retirement days before the 1991 election was called, reportedly because he had not been guaranteed his portfolio after the election. Preselection subsequently went to law lecturer Chikarovski, who held the seat until she resigned at the 2003 election after losing the leadership to John Brogden a year previously. Chikarovski’s successor was the Right-aligned Anthony Roberts, the mayor of Lane Cove and an adviser to John Howard. With the backing of the party’s head office as well as Chikarovski, Roberts won 66 out of the 104 available preselection votes in a field of four candidates. He attained minor portfolio responsibilities in the December 2008 reshuffle, in citizenship, volunteering and the arts.
Analysis written by William Bowe. Please direct corrections or comments to pollbludger-AT-crikey.com.au. Read William’s blog, The Poll Bludger.