2003 Maryborough state by-election

A by-election was held in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Maryborough on 26 April 2003. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting member John Kingston.

The by-election resulted in the baton passing from one independent to another when Chris Foley was elected as the new member.

Background

John Kingston was first elected to state parliament as one of 11 One Nation candidates ushered in at the 1998 state election. All eleven members would eventually break with their party, with Kingston doing so in early 1999 to sit as an independent. He was re-elected in that capacity at the 2001 state election before resigning in 2003 due to ill health.

Candidates

Kingston's retirement presented the Labor Party with an opportunity to win back the seat they had held prior to his 1998 victory. Labor preselected postal worker Doug Loggie.[1]

The contest for National Party preselection—which had last held the seat from 1983 to 1989—saw Peter Andrews win endorsement over four other candidates.[2] Ominously, one of those candidates, church pastor and financial advisor Chris Foley, chose to stand for the by-election in an independent capacity.[3]

Result

Chris Foley easily outpolled the candidate of his former party and, with the help of preferences, won the seat over Labor candidate Doug Loggie.

Maryborough state by-election, 2003[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Doug Loggie 8,465 37.02 −4.99
Independent Chris Foley 7,619 33.32 +33.32
National Peter Andrews 3,925 17.16 +2.61
One Nation Brad Marsh 1,679 7.34 +7.34
Greens Dean Pratley 775 3.39 +3.39
Independent Ray Smith 179 0.78 −1.49
Independent John Ahearn 174 0.76 +0.76
Independent Jeremy Roberts 51 0.22 +0.22
Total formal votes 22,867 97.91 +0.28
Informal votes 488 2.09 −0.28
Turnout 23,355 88.08 −7.06
Two-candidate-preferred result
Independent Chris Foley 10,484 53.51 +53.51
Labor Doug Loggie 9,109 46.49 −3.01
Independent hold SwingN/A

See also

References
  1. "Candidates meet and greet as by-election heats up". ABC. 10 April 2003.
  2. "Election fever hitting Maryborough". ABC. 3 April 2003.
  3. "Polls open for new Maryborough MP". ABC. 26 April 2003.
  4. Maryborough 2003 By-election Results Archived 2008-09-06 at the Wayback Machine
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