Agricultural Region

MP

Labor (1): Kim Chance
Liberal (2): Bruce Donaldson, Brian Ellis
National (1): Wendy Duncan
Independent (1):Anthony Fels (ex-Liberal now running for Family First)

Profile

Covers four electorates, Geraldton, Moore, Central Wheatbelt and Wagin. (Map)

Retirements

Labor's Kim Chance is not contesting the 2008 election, but the Labor Party ticket will be led by Matthew Benson-Lidholm, who is currently an MLC representing South West Region. The Liberal Party's Bruce Bruce Donaldson is retiring. The National Party's Wendy Duncan was elected to fill a casual vacancy caused by the retirement of Murray Criddle. Duncan will not be contesting Agricultural Region at the 2008 election, instead leading the National ticket in Mining and Pastoral Region.

2005 Result

Party	Votes	% Vote	Swing	Quotas	Seats Won	Seats Change
Liberal Party	33,198	39.4	+9.4	2.36	3	+2
Labor Party	22,504	26.7	+6.5	1.60	1	..
National Party	16,251	19.3	+0.3	1.16	1	..
Greens	3,708	4.4	-0.1	0.26	..	-1
One Nation	2,528	3.0	-19.0	0.18	..	-1
New Country Party	1,946	2.3	+2.3	0.14	..	..
Christian Democrats	1,590	1.9	+1.9	0.11	..	..
Family First	1,271	1.5	+1.5	0.09	..	..
Australian Democrats	309	0.4	-1.3	0.02	..	..
Others	1,026	1.2	-1.2	0.07	..	..
Formal	84,331	97.1			5
Informal	2,488	2.9	+0.4
Total Votes/Turnout	86,819	91.3	-0.7
Roll	95,041
Quota	14,056

Redistribution

	ALP	LIB	GRN	NAT	CDP	FFP	ONP	DEM	OTH
% Votes - Old Bundaries	26.7	39.4	4.4	19.3	1.9	1.5	3.0	0.4	3.5
% Vote - New Boundaries	27.6	38.5	4.2	19.3	2.0	1.4	3.1	0.4	2.9
Quotas - Old Boundaries	1.60	2.36	0.26	1.16	0.11	0.09	0.18	0.02	0.22
Quotas - New Boundaries	1.93	2.69	0.30	1.35	0.14	0.10	0.22	0.03	0.25

Discussion: The introduction of one-vote one-value electoral boundaries at the same time as retaining different weights for Legislative Council Regions has the perverse effect of decreasing the number of voters in the Agricultural Region at the same time as the number of seats in the region was increased from five to six. This cut the quota for election from 14,056 in 2005 to around 10,600 for 2008. Introducing the extra seat means that Labor's vote now approaches two quotas, increasingly the liklihood that the additional seat will be won by the Labor Party.

Past Results

	1996		2001		2005
Party	% Vote	MLCs	% Vote	MLCs	% Vote	MLCs
Labor Party	22.7	1	20.2	1	26.7	1
Liberal Party	..	2	30.0	1	39.4	3
National Party	..	2	19.0	1	19.3	1
Liberal/National Party	68.5	..	..	..	..	..
Australian Democrats	6.6	..	1.7	..	0.4	..
Greens (WA)	..	..	4.5	1	4.4	..
One Nation	..	..	22.0	1	3.0	..
Christian Democrats	..	..	..	..	1.9	..
Family First	..	..	..	..	1.5	..
Others	2.2	..	2.5	..	3.4	..
Informal	3.3		2.5		2.9
Turnout	91.1		92.0		91.3
Quota	13,181		13,591		14,056

Note: The Liberal and national Parties ran a joint ticket at the 1996 election.