The Division of Forde is an
Australian Electoral Division in Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

.
The division was created in 1984 and is named for Frank Forde

Frank Forde

Francis Michael Forde PC was an Australian politician and the 15th Prime Minister of Australia. He was the shortest serving Prime Minister in Australia's history, being in office for only eight days.-Early life:...

, who was briefly Prime Minister of Australia

Prime Minister of Australia

The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...

 in 1945. When it was created it was a marginal seat in the southern suburbs of Brisbane

Brisbane

Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...

, but it now has no territory in common with the original seat and is located in semi-rural areas south of the city, including Beenleigh

Beenleigh, Queensland

Beenleigh is a suburb in the Logan City area of Queensland, Australia. Beenleigh and adjoining suburbs are located near the confluence of the Logan and Albert rivers...

, Beaudesert

Beaudesert, Queensland

Beaudesert is a town located on the Mount Lindesay Highway, some 64 km south of Brisbane. It is possibly named after Beau Desert Park, the property of Charles Henry Alexander Paget, 6th Marquess of Anglesey in Staffordshire, England...

, Boonah

Boonah, Queensland

Boonah is a town in south eastern Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 2,285. The area produces vegetables for the nearby Brisbane Markets notably carrots, potatoes, and cereal crops. Beef, pork and timber are also produced locally.The town is positioned near the...

 and Loganlea

Loganlea, Queensland

Loganlea is a suburb of Logan City, Queensland, Australia.-Transport:Loganlea railway station provides access to regular Citytrain services to Brisbane, Beenleigh and Gold Coast.-External links:* *...

. It was a fairly safe seat for the Liberal Party

Liberal Party of Australia

The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...

 after the 2004 election.

Kay Elson announced that she would not re-contest her seat in the 2007 Australian Federal election. Wendy Creighton, a Boonah resident and editor of the local newspaper, the Fassifern Guardian, contested Forde as the Liberal candidate instead. She was defeated at the Federal election by Brett Raguse

Brett Raguse

Brett Blair Raguse is an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from November 2007 until July 2010, representing the electorate of Forde....

, the opposing Labor Party

Australian Labor Party

The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...

 candidate, making Forde the safest Liberal Party seat to be claimed by the Labor Party at the 2007 election.

Members

Member		Party	Term
	David Watson David Watson (Australian politician) David John Hopetoun Watson was an Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he was educated at the University of Queensland and the University of Ohio before becoming an accountant. He was Professor of Accounting and Dean of Commerce and Economics at the University of Queensland before entering...	Liberal Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...	1984–1987
	Mary Crawford Mary Crawford Mary Catherine Crawford was an Australian politician. Born in Toowoomba, Queensland, she was educated at the University of Queensland before becoming a teacher. In 1987, she was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for Forde...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	1987–1996
	Kay Elson Kay Elson Kay Selma Elson , Australian politician, was a Liberal Member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1996 until her resignation in November 2007. Kay represented the Division of Forde, Queensland...	Liberal Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...	1996–2007
	Brett Raguse Brett Raguse Brett Blair Raguse is an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from November 2007 until July 2010, representing the electorate of Forde....	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	2007–2010
	Bert Van Manen Bert Van Manen Albertus Johannes "Bert" Van Manen is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal National Party of Queensland member of the Australian House of Representatives seat of Forde since the 2010 federal election, defeating Australian Labor Party incumbent Brett Raguse.Bert grew up in Waterford and...	Liberal National	2010–present

Election results

External links

• Division of Forde (Qld) — Australian Electoral Commission
  Australian Electoral Commission
  The Australian Electoral Commission, or the AEC, is the federal government agency in charge of organising and supervising federal elections and referendums. State and local government elections are overseen by the Electoral Commission in each state and territory.The Australian Electoral Commission...