Interesting political statistics

Here are some interesting numbers:

In the 2004 Qld State election, voters elected the State members for Toowoomba North and Toowoomba South by the following margins:

Toowoomba North

Kerry Shine (ALP) - 11,785 votes
National Party Candidate - 8,567 votes.

How many disgruntled Toowoomba North voters does it take to unseat the sitting member? Not that many, actually.

As a member of the ALP, Mr Shine would normally need to follow party (and Government) policy. That might put him between a rock and a hard place come the next State election.

Toowoomba South

Mike Horan (National Party) - 12,229 votes
ALP Candidate - 7,536 votes.

More disgruntled voters would be needed to unseat Mr Horan but it's not an impossible task.

(These numbers are all before the distribution of preferences.)

The sitting members of the Qld Parliament who represent Toowoomba should declare whether they are in favour of I-PU! or not. It's a simple question and not one which permits fence sitting. Put your comfortable parliamentary seat on the line gentlemen - are you for the Mayor's I-PU! proposal for Toowoomba or against it?

See - Qld Electoral Commission - for more 2004 State election details.