Division of Capricornia

Capricornia Australian House of Representatives Division
300px Division of Capricornia (green) within Queensland
Created	1901
MP	Michelle Landry
Party	Liberal National
Namesake	Tropic of Capricorn
Electors	94,409 (2013)
Area	91,049 km2 (35,154.2 sq mi)
Demographic	Provincial

The Division of Capricornia is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named after the Tropic of Capricorn, which runs through the Division. It is located on the central Queensland coast and its centre has always been the city of Rockhampton. On its current boundaries it also includes the town of Yeppoon and the southern suburb of Mackay, Ooralea.

The first election saw Alexander Paterson, with 51% of votes, narrowly elected over the ALP candidate Wallace Nelson. For most of its subsequent history it has been a fairly safe seat for the ALP; however, it is currently held by Michelle Landry for the Liberal National Party.

Its best-known member was Frank Forde, deputy leader of the Labor Party from 1932 to 1946, a minister in the Scullin, Curtin and Chifley governments, and interim Prime Minister of Australia for eight days in 1945.

Members

Member		Party	Term
	Alexander Paterson	Independent Free Trade	1901–1903
	David Thomson	Labor	1903–1906
	Edward Archer	Anti-Socialist	1906–1909
		Commonwealth Liberal	1909–1910
	William Higgs	Labor	1910–1920
		Independent	1920–1920
		Nationalist	1920–1922
	Frank Forde	Labor	1922–1946
	Charles Davidson	Liberal	1946–1949
	Henry Pearce	Liberal	1949–1961
	George Gray	Labor	1961–1967
	Doug Everingham	Labor	1967–1975
	Colin Carige	National	1975–1977
	Doug Everingham	Labor	1977–1984
	Keith Wright	Labor	1984–1993
		Independent	1993–1993
	Marjorie Henzell	Labor	1993–1996
	Paul Marek	National	1996–1998
	Kirsten Livermore	Labor	1998–2013
	Michelle Landry	Liberal National	2013–present

Election results

Main article: Electoral results for the Division of Capricornia

Australian federal election, 2013: Capricornia

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal National	Michelle Landry	33,608	39.58	−0.84
	Labor	Peter Freeleagus	31,450	37.04	−8.73
	Palmer United	Derek Ison	6,747	7.95	+7.95
	Katter's Australian	Robbie Williams	4,708	5.54	+5.54
	Family First	Hazel Alley	3,274	3.86	+0.37
	Greens	Paul Bambrick	2,910	3.43	−2.09
	Independent	Bruce Diamond	1,777	2.09	+2.09
	Rise Up Australia	Paul Lewis	439	0.52	+0.52
Total formal votes			84,913	94.85	+1.00
Informal votes			4,614	5.15	−1.00
Turnout			89,527	94.83	+1.70
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal National	Michelle Landry	43,109	50.77	+4.45
	Labor	Peter Freeleagus	41,804	49.23	−4.45
	Liberal National gain from Labor		Swing	+4.45

External links

• Division of Capricornia (Qld) — Australian Electoral Commission