2014 Charlestown state by-election

A by-election for the seat of Charlestown in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly was held on 25 October 2014.[1][2] The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Liberal-turned-independent MP Andrew Cornwell, who won the seat at the 2011 election with a 43.8 percent primary and 59.9 percent two-party vote.

2014 Charlestown state by-election
25 October 2014
  First party Second party Third party
 
GRN
IND
Candidate Jodie Harrison Jane Oakley Luke Arms
Party Labor Greens Independent
Popular vote 19,429 5,613 4,807
Percentage 49.3% 14.2% 12.2%
Swing Increase 20.4 Increase 5.8 Increase 12.2
TPP 70.8% 29.2%
TPP swing Increase 30.6 Increase 29.2
MP before election

Andrew Cornwell
Independent

 Elected MP

Jodie Harrison
Labor

The last New South Wales by-election saw a 26-point two-party swing to Labor.

Background

Charlestown, located in the traditional Labor heartland of the Hunter Region, was held by Labor without interruption from its creation in 1971 until Cornwell won the seat on a swing of 25.2 points, and 59.9 percent of the two-party preferred vote—on paper, turning it into a safe Liberal seat in one stroke. Cornwell's victory was all the more remarkable since the Liberals hadn't even put up a candidate in the 2007 election.[3]

On 6 August 2014, a hearing of the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) revealed that Cornwell had received $10,000 in illegal donations from Newcastle Lord Mayor Jeff McCloy. Following this revelation, Cornwell resigned from the Liberal Party and moved to the crossbench as an independent pending the result of the inquiry.[4] Cornwell also admitted to the ICAC that his wife had received $10,120 from developer Hilton Grugeon, ostensibly for a painting given to the developer in 2010 which was worth much less. The money was used to pay Cornwell's PAYG tax.[5]

On 8 August 2014, Cornwell announced that would not re-nominate for Charlestown at the next NSW election.[6] Less than a week later, on 12 August, Cornwell announced his immediate resignation.[7]

Dates
Date Event[8]
3 October 2014 Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and close of electoral rolls.[9]
Noon, 8 October 2014 Close of nominations for party-endorsed candidates
Noon, 9 October 2014 Close of nominations for other candidates
25 October 2014 Polling day, between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm

Candidates

The nine candidates in ballot paper order are as follows:[8]

Candidate nominations
  Independent Luke Arms IT role at Maitland Christian School, runs a photography business and writes software.[8]
  Independent Marc Sky Radiographer.[8]
  Greens Jane Oakley NSW Greens secretary.[8]
  Suellen Wrightson Palmer United Party candidate.[8]
  Labor Party Jodie Harrison Lake Macquarie City Council Mayor.[8]
  Independent Luke Cubis Former school teacher.[8]
  Independent Arjay Martin Businessman. Contested seat at previous election.[8]
  Christian Democratic Party Brian Tucker [8]
  Independent Veronica Hope Media entrepreneur.[8]

The Liberals declined to contest the by-election, and also declined to field a candidate in the by-election in Newcastle held on the same day. NSW Liberal director Tony Nutt stated that the Liberals would not contest either by-election "as an explicit act of atonement" for the revelations, and Premier Mike Baird said that the Liberals didn't deserve to contest the seats while they were "getting (their) house in order."[1][2] According to ABC election analyst Antony Green, it was the first known occasion of a sitting government in NSW opting not to contest by-elections in seats that it previously held.[10]

Results
2014 Charlestown by-election
Saturday 25 October [11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Jodie Harrison 19,429 49.3 +20.4
Greens Jane Oakley 5,613 14.2 +5.8
Independent Luke Arms 4,807 12.2 +12.2
  Independent Palmer United Suellen Wrightson 2,592 6.6 +6.6
Independent Veronica Hope 2,144 5.4 +5.4
Christian Democrats Brian Tucker 1,804 4.6 +2.4
Independent Luke Cubis 1,366 3.5 +3.5
Independent Marc Sky 1,068 2.7 +2.7
Independent Arjay Martin 611 1.5 +1.5
Total formal votes 39,434 92.6 −3.9
Informal votes 3,158 7.4 +3.9
Turnout 42,592 85.4 −9.1
Two-candidate-preferred result
Labor Jodie Harrison 21,206 70.8 +30.6
Greens Jane Oakley 8,762 29.2 +29.2
Labor gain from Liberal SwingN/A

See also

References
  1. "NSW Premier Mike Baird apologises for Liberal Party after horror week at ICAC". Sunday Telegraph. Australia. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  2. "Liberal Party apologises to NSW voters after more MPs resign over corruption allegations". The Sun-Herald. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  3. Green, Antony (5 April 2011). "Charlestown". NSW Votes 2011. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
  4. Gerathy, Sarah (6 August 2014). "Two NSW Liberal MPs stand aside from the party following ICAC revelations on campaign funding". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  5. Whitbourne, Michaela; McClymont, Kate (7 August 2014). "Liberal MP Andrew Cornwell admits taking $20k from property developers: ICAC". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  6. "NSW MP Andrew Cornwell to quit politics following ICAC allegations". The Australian. AAP. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  7. Nicholls, Sean (12 August 2014). "Newcastle MP Tim Owen and Charlestown MP Andrew Cornwell resign from NSW Parliament following ICAC donations inquiry". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  8. Green, Antony. "2014 Charlestown by-election". ABC News.
  9. "Writ of election: Charlestown" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 3 October 2014. p. 3381. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  10. Green, Antony (17 August 2014). "Election blog: NSW Liberal Party Chooses not to Contest Looming By-elections". ABC News. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  11. "2014 Charlestown by-election: first preference votes". Electoral Commission New South Wales. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  12. "2014 Charlestown by-election: check count TCP results". Electoral Commission New South Wales. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
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