Victorian State Election 2010: Thomastown
Electorate: Thomastown
Margin: Labor 31.1%
Upper house region: Northern Melbourne
Federal: Scullin/Wills/Batman
Outgoing member: Peter Batchelor (Labor)
Click here for Victorian Electoral Commission map
The candidates
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BURGE, Michael
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Electorate analysis: Thomastown covers northern suburbs of Melbourne from Fawkner out to Lalor. It was created in 1985 and initially held by Beth Gleeson, who died in late 1989. Gleeson was succeeded at a by-election in 1990 by Peter Batchelor, who held off a 14 per cent swing and subsequently built one of the biggest margins in the state. Batchelor served in the Bracks and Brumby governments first as Transport Minister and later as Energy and Resources Minister, before announcing six weeks out from the coming election that he would not seek re-election. He will be succeeded as Labor candidate by Bronwyn Halfpenny, a Trades Hall official and daughter of union legend John Halfpenny, who shares Batchelor’s background in the Socialist Left faction.
Analysis written by William Bowe. Read William’s blog, The Poll Bludger.