Federal Election Preview: North Sydney

Preview by Seamus Lee - @teenman

History

North Sydney has been for a long time a Liberal held seat. The only times in which it hasn't been held by a Liberal politician is when Ted Mack held the seat from as an Independent 1990 to 1996.

 2007 Results

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Candidate	Party	Vote %	Swing %
Kundan Misra	Citizens Electoral Council	0.29	NEW
Arie Baalbergen	CDP	0.73	NEW
Marcus Aussie-Stone	IND	0.62	NEW
Joe Hockey	LP	51.81	-4.42
Ted Nixon	Greens	9.21	-3.12
Barry Thompson	Climate Change Coalition	1.31	NEW
John Caferatta	FF	0.41	+0.39
Mike Bailey	ALP	32.62	+8.35

2PP
55.38%- 44.62% Swing - 4.66%

Localities

Artarmon, Cremorne, Cammeray, Castle Cove, CastleCrag, Chatswood, Chatswood West, Crows Nest, Gladesville, Gore Hill, Greenwich, Henley, Hunters Hill, Huntleys Point, Kirribilli, Lane Cove, Lane Cove North, Lane Cove West, Lavender Bay, Linley Point, Longueville, McMahons Point, Milsons Point, Monash Park, Naremburn, , North Sydney, North Willoughbym Northbridge, Northwood, Riverview, St Leonards,  Waverton, willoughby, Willoughby east, Wollstonecraft, Woolwich

With the redistributions the seat of North Sydney has moved slightly west and bit north

Candidates

Joe Hockey - Joe has lived in sydney all his life and has been a long serving member of parliament. Has been the minister for Financial Services and Regulation, Small Business and Tourism, Human Services, employment and workplace relations during his  14 years in parliament. He has been president of the young liberals in NSW.

Andrew Robjones - Has been in the area for a number of years and works in North Ryde and is the Deputy Mayor of North Sydney council. He is an active member of the greens.

Key Issues: Reducing the noise from the freeway. Andrew is in support for the RTA to construct noice protection walls to reduce the noise around the Warringah Freeway

                   The greeens also support reducing developer donations. This is becuase there are developments being planned around the areas in North    

                   Sydney and the developers seem to be getting their way in relation to negotiations with councils

There will be more to come as with all the other candidates

Leta Webb - She lives in Milsons Pont and is a lecturer in envionmental law. She has sworked as director of responsible planning and environment at both Ku-ring-gai and leichhardt councils. She also worked as the executive director for the shore regional orgainsation of councils.

Key Issues: Development of renewable energy and energy incentives

                  Intergrate sustainable development principals into urban and economic planning.

                  Health and hospital reform

                  Protection of the harbour foreshores

                  More affordable housing

No other candidates announced as of yet.

Prediction

Joe Hockey should return the seat. However if the Greens are able to run a successful it may mean that Joe Hockey could be pushed to hold the seat on preferences. With more of Chatswood being included in the seat the greens vote should increase. Labor will struggle to hold onto the gains made in 2007 becuase they don't have the star factor of Mike Bailey and Kevin Rudd 

Paul's Prediction: Easy Lib hold. Increase in primary vote for The Greens and Liberals.