Davidson state by-election, 1992

Davidson boundaries

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Davidson on 2 May 1992.^[1]

It was triggered by the resignation of former Liberal Party-turned Independent MP, Terry Metherell, after the scandal known as the 'Metherell Crisis'.^[1]

The seat was subsequently won by Andrew Humpherson of the Liberal Party. However the Liberals suffered a 16% drop in their primary vote, and a 14% drop in their two party preferred vote.^[1]

Background

The seat of Davidson, a traditionally safe Liberal seat, was held since 1981 by Dr Terry Metherell, a controversial Minister for Education in the first term of the Greiner government^[1]

Charges of tax avoidance forced his resignation from the Ministry in 1990. However, there was speculation that he would be re-appointed to the ministry when the Greiner government was re-elected in 1991. However, at the 1991 election, the Greiner government emerged without a clear majority and all hopes of a ministerial appointment for Metherell were squashed. Feeling betrayed and rejected from his party, in October 1991 Metherell resigned from the Liberal Party live on the 7:30 Report, without having given his colleagues notice.^[1]

The government subsequently created a job for Metherell, a position with the Environment Protection Agency, which he accepted, effectively engineering a vacancy in a seat the Liberal Party would recover at a by-election. Labor did not nominate a candidate, but a field of Independents and minor parties reduced the Liberal vote by 16%, and 14% after preferences.^[1]

Results

The Liberal Party retained the seat, despite a swing of 16%.^[2] The Liberal candidate, Warringah Councillor since 1985, Andrew Humpherson, was declared the winner against Independent Candidate and Warringah Councillor since 1980, Julie Sutton.

Davidson state by-election, 1992^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Andrew Humpherson	15,852	49.32	-16.07
	Independent	Julie Sutton	9,489	29.52	+29.52
	Greens	Ross Knowles	1,195	3.72	+3.72
	Democrats	Edna Cunningham	1,156	3.60	-12.01
	Independent	Kevin Begaud	918	2.86	+2.86
	Independent	Michael Evanian	852	2.65	+2.65
	Call to Australia	Bruce Coleman	770	2.40	+2.40
	Independent EFF	Michael Vescio	683	2.12	+2.12
	Independent	Ted Roach	361	1.12	+1.12
	Independent	Janet Fairlie-Cuninghame	357	1.11	+1.11
	Independent	Peter Leney	190	0.59	+0.59
	Independent	Steven Klinger	157	0.49	+0.49
	Independent	William Williams	105	0.33	+0.33
	Independent	Julien Droulers	34	0.11	+0.11
	Independent	Sandor Torzsok	24	0.07	+0.07
Total formal votes			32,143	96.97
Informal votes			1,006	3.03
Turnout			33,149	87.10
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Liberal	Andrew Humpherson	17,352	59.65	-13.04
	Independent	Julie Sutton	11,737	40.35	+40.35
	Liberal hold		Swing	-13.04

References

1. "NSW By-Elections Background". ABC Elections. 12 Sep 2005.
2. Green, Antony. "Davidson - By-election". Retrieved 2009-06-16.