Division of Mayo
Encyclopedia
The Division of Mayo is an Australian Electoral Division located in the hills, east of Adelaide
, South Australia
and currently includes the towns of Victor Harbor
, Lobethal
, Mount Barker
, Strathalbyn
, Woodside
and Kingscote
.
First proclaimed in 1984, the division is named for Helen Mayo
, a social activist and the first woman elected to an Australian University Council.
At its creation in 1984, Mayo was a rural based electorate that stretched from the seaside town of Victor Harbor to the Adelaide Hills. Alexander Downer, the son and grandson of former federal politicians, easily won for the Liberals in 1984 and 1987 but faced his first real challenge in 1990 from the Australian Democrats
, who traditionally polled better in the area covered by Mayo than anywhere else in Australia. The Democrat candidate polled 21.3% and while Downer retained Mayo on a two party preferred basis comfortably, a swing of 6% away from Downer towards the Democrat may well have seen Downer lose the seat. Interestingly, Democrats leader, Senator Janine Haines
, chose to contest the neighbouring Division of Kingston
at the 1990 election, losing to the sitting member. It was postulated at the time that if the high profile Haines had contested Mayo, she may have gathered the further 6% required to unseat Downer.
A redistribution following the 1990 elections shifted Mayo to an exclusively Hills based seat and theoretically consolidated Downer's hold on the seat to the detriment of the Democrats. As a result, Downer was comfortably returned at the 1993 and 1996 federal elections. In 1998, however, Downer, facing six opposition candidates, including high profile Democrats candidate John Schumann
, One Nation Party
and an independent candidate advocating increased public nudity, was re-elected by a narrow margin. Schumann's 22.4% was the best result for a minor party candidate in Mayo and lost to Downer on a two party preferred basis by only 1.7%, transforming Mayo into one of the more marginal electorates in Australia.
Another redistribution following the 1998 election made Mayo a safer Liberal seat and Downer was again returned comfortably at the 2001 elections, helped partly by an Independent Democrat candidate splitting the Democrat vote. The 2004 election saw a record eight candidates including independent Brian Deegan who polled 15 percent, but was successfully retained by Downer, and again at the 2007 election, on a reduced margin of seven percent.
Downer retired in July 2008 which triggered a Mayo by-election
. The seat was retained by the Liberals by three percent against the Greens
.
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and currently includes the towns of Victor Harbor
Victor Harbor, South Australia
Victor Harbor is a city located on the coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, about 80 km south of Adelaide, South Australia. The city is the largest population centre on the peninsula, with an economy based upon agriculture, fisheries and various industries...
, Lobethal
Lobethal, South Australia
Lobethal is a town in the Adelaide Hills area of South Australia. It is located in the Adelaide Hills Council local government area, and is nestled on the banks of a creek between the hills and up the sides of the valley. It was once the centre of the Adelaide Hills wool processing industry, which...
, Mount Barker
Mount Barker, South Australia
Mount Barker is an expanding city, home to 10 258 residents that is 33 kilometres up the South Eastern Freeway, east of Adelaide, in South Australia. It is the seat of the District Council of Mount Barker, is the largest town in the Adelaide Hills, and is one of the fastest growing areas in the...
, Strathalbyn
Strathalbyn, South Australia
Strathalbyn is a town in South Australia, in the Alexandrina Council. The town has a population of 3894 people.-History and Culture:The town was founded in 1839. Strathalbyn was once connected by broad gauge horse tram to Goolwa and Victor Harbor from 1869, and the line was extended to Mount Barker...
, Woodside
Woodside, South Australia
Woodside is a town in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia. The town is between Balhannah and Lobethal, from the state capital, Adelaide. Amenities include a swimming pool, , second hand store, grocery store, tennis club, bowls club and playing fields. The Johnston family of Oakbank...
and Kingscote
Kingscote, South Australia
- Facilities :Kingscote has a school offering years 1 to 12, a hospital, supermarket, post office and Government offices. It is the administrative centre for the Kangaroo Island Council, whose offices have recently undergone a significant upgrade....
.
First proclaimed in 1984, the division is named for Helen Mayo
Helen Mayo
Helen Mary Mayo, OBE was an Australian medical doctor and medical educator, born and raised in Adelaide. In 1896, she enrolled at the University of Adelaide, where she studied medicine. After graduating, Mayo spent two years working in infant health in England, Ireland and India...
, a social activist and the first woman elected to an Australian University Council.
At its creation in 1984, Mayo was a rural based electorate that stretched from the seaside town of Victor Harbor to the Adelaide Hills. Alexander Downer, the son and grandson of former federal politicians, easily won for the Liberals in 1984 and 1987 but faced his first real challenge in 1990 from the Australian Democrats
Australian Democrats
The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...
, who traditionally polled better in the area covered by Mayo than anywhere else in Australia. The Democrat candidate polled 21.3% and while Downer retained Mayo on a two party preferred basis comfortably, a swing of 6% away from Downer towards the Democrat may well have seen Downer lose the seat. Interestingly, Democrats leader, Senator Janine Haines
Janine Haines
Janine Haines, AM , Australian politician, was the first female federal parliamentary leader of an Australian political party. An Australian Democrat, she was also the first member of that party to enter the federal parliament after the party's formation...
, chose to contest the neighbouring Division of Kingston
Division of Kingston
The Division of Kingston is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia covering the far-south metropolitan area of Adelaide. The division was first proclaimed in 1949....
at the 1990 election, losing to the sitting member. It was postulated at the time that if the high profile Haines had contested Mayo, she may have gathered the further 6% required to unseat Downer.
A redistribution following the 1990 elections shifted Mayo to an exclusively Hills based seat and theoretically consolidated Downer's hold on the seat to the detriment of the Democrats. As a result, Downer was comfortably returned at the 1993 and 1996 federal elections. In 1998, however, Downer, facing six opposition candidates, including high profile Democrats candidate John Schumann
John Schumann
John Lewis Schumann is an Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist from Adelaide. He is best known as the lead singer for the folk group Redgum, with their chart-topping hit "I Was Only 19 ", a song exploring the psychological and medical side-effects of serving in the Australian forces during...
, One Nation Party
One Nation Party
One Nation is a far-right and nationalist political party in Australia. It gained 22% of the vote translating to 11 of 89 seats in Queensland's unicameral legislative assembly at the 1998 state election and made major inroads into the vote of the existing parties...
and an independent candidate advocating increased public nudity, was re-elected by a narrow margin. Schumann's 22.4% was the best result for a minor party candidate in Mayo and lost to Downer on a two party preferred basis by only 1.7%, transforming Mayo into one of the more marginal electorates in Australia.
Another redistribution following the 1998 election made Mayo a safer Liberal seat and Downer was again returned comfortably at the 2001 elections, helped partly by an Independent Democrat candidate splitting the Democrat vote. The 2004 election saw a record eight candidates including independent Brian Deegan who polled 15 percent, but was successfully retained by Downer, and again at the 2007 election, on a reduced margin of seven percent.
Downer retired in July 2008 which triggered a Mayo by-election
Mayo by-election, 2008
A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Mayo on 6 September 2008, following the retirement of Liberal Party MP Alexander Downer. The by-election was held on the same day as the Lyne by-election, and the Western Australian state election.The writ for the...
. The seat was retained by the Liberals by three percent against the Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
.
Members
| Member | Party | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Downer Alexander Downer Alexander John Gosse Downer is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was Foreign Minister of Australia from March 1996 to December 2007, the longest-serving in Australian history... |
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... |
1984–2008 | |
| Jamie Briggs Jamie Briggs Jamie Edward Briggs MP is an Australian politician. He has been the Liberal Party of Australia member for the Division of Mayo since the 2008 Mayo by-election.... |
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... |
2008 Mayo by-election, 2008 A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Mayo on 6 September 2008, following the retirement of Liberal Party MP Alexander Downer. The by-election was held on the same day as the Lyne by-election, and the Western Australian state election.The writ for the... –present |
|