A by-election for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Griffith was held on 8 February 2014. Terri Butler retained the seat for Labor with a 51.8% two-party-preferred vote against Liberal National Party candidate Bill Glasson.Griffith by-election: Labor's Terri Butler wins despite swing to LNP candidate Bill Glasson: ABC 8 February 2014
Background Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced on 13 November 2013 that he would step down from the parliament after his party's defeat at the 2013 election.
The division of Griffith is located in the inner suburbs of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. Since the seat's creation in 1934, Griffith has changed parties eight times. Labor's Kevin Rudd had held the seat since regaining it for Labor in 1998, having previously unsuccessfully contested the seat in 1996. Rudd retained Griffith at the 2013 election with 53 percent of the two-party-preferred vote from primary votes of Liberal 42.2 percent, Labor 40.4 percent, Greens 10.2 percent, Palmer 3.4 percent, with the remaining seven candidates on a collective 3.8 percent. Rudd's support was highest in Griffith at the 2007 election with 62.3 percent of the two-party vote when he led Labor to government. At the 2010 election he retained his seat with 58.5 percent of the two-party vote.
The tender of the resignation to the Speaker took place on 22 November 2013.The Age 22 November 2013 - With formal resignation, Kevin Rudd irritates Coalition one more time The writ for the election was issued on 6 January 2014. Electoral rolls closed 8pm 13 January 2014, candidate nominations closed midday 16 January 2014, with declaration of candidate nominations and ballot order draw occurring midday 17 January 2014. The by-election occurred between 8am and 6pm on 8 February 2014.Key Dates, 2014 Griffith by-election: AEC
It was the first by-election for the House of Representatives since the Bradfield and Higgins by-elections in December 2009, the second longest interval between by-elections.
Candidates The 11 candidate nominations in ballot paper order were:2014 Griffith by-election candidates: AEC Party Candidate Background Australian Stable Population Party Timothy Lawrence Software developer. Australian Greens Geoff Ebbs Publisher of the Westender newspaper. Contested the seat at the 2013 election. Family First Party Christopher Williams Electrician, worship music band member. Campaigned strongly against same-sex marriage.Chris Williams Family First candidate: Facebook Independent Karel Boele Ran as an electronic direct democracy 'PeopleDecide' independent.Karel Boele: PeopleDecide website Bullet Train for Australia Anthony Ackroyd Sydney-based comedian. Secular Party of Australia Anne Reid Accountant, secretary of the Humanist Society of Queensland. Contested the seat at the 2013 election.Griffith by-election more than a two-horse race: SMH 16 January 2014 Australian Labor Party Terri Butler Employment and IR law partner at Maurice Blackburn. Pirate Party Australia Melanie Thomas Activist, active in Australian media industry. Contested Senate in Queensland at the 2013 election. Independent Travis Windsor Small business mentor. Inspired by successful 2013 Cathy McGowan campaign in Indi.Travis Windsor website Katter's Australian Party Ray Sawyer Worked for local government for 15 years. Contested Fairfax at the 2013 election. Liberal National Party of Queensland Bill Glasson Ophthalmologist and former President of the Australian Medical Association. Contested the seat at the 2013 election.
The Palmer United Party, Rise Up Australia Party and Socialist Alliance did not re-contest Griffith at the by-election.
Betting/polling Upon the 6 January announcement of the by-election date, odds from Sportingbet favoured Labor at $1.18 against $4.25 for the LNP.By-election for Kevin Rudd's former seat to be on February 8: The Australian 6 January 2014
Queensland federal statewide Newspoll conducted from October to December 2013 indicated a three percent two-party swing from the LNP to Labor since the 2013 election,Oct-Dec 2013 Quarterly aggregates: Newspoll while Nielsen conducted in November 2013 indicated a 12 percent two-party swing from the LNP to Labor.Nov 2013 federal poll: NielsenLabor storms ahead: SMH 26 November 2013
Only two times in history has a government won a seat from the opposition in a by-election; the first being the 1920 Kalgoorlie by-election, and the second instance not occurring until 103 years later with the 2023 Aston by-election. Political analysts predicted that Labor would retain Griffith.By-election for Griffith could shake historical trend: The World Today, ABC 4 February 2014Liberal Party resigned to byelection loss in Griffith: Australian Financial Review 5 February 2014
Two-party-preferred history
Election:197519771980198319841987199019931996199820012004200720102013 Labor42.0%53.5%62.9%64.5%60.3%60.4%60.3%58.0%48.5%52.4%55.7%58.6%62.3%58.5%53.0% Liberal58.0%46.5%37.1%35.5%39.7%39.6%39.7%42.0%51.5%47.6%44.3%41.4%37.7%41.5%47.0%
Results
See also List of Australian federal by-elections 2014 Redcliffe state by-election
References
External links 2014 Griffith by-election: AEC 2014 Griffith by-election: Antony Green ABC