2016 Orange state by-election
{{short description|Election results for Orange, New South Wales, Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2016 Orange state by-election
| country = Australia
| type = Parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2015 New South Wales state election
| previous_year = 2015
| election_date = 12 November 2016
| next_election = 2019 New South Wales state election
| next_year = 2019
| turnout = 88.3% {{decrease}} 3.2
| registered = 56,242
| seats_for_election = The electoral district of Orange in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
| image1 = 150x150px
| candidate1 = Philip Donato
| party1 = SFF
| popular_vote1 = 11,487
| percentage1 = 23.8%
| swing1 = {{increase}} 23.8
| image2 = 150x150px
| candidate2 = Scott Barrett
| party2 = National Party of Australia – NSW
| popular_vote2 = 15,267
| percentage2 = 31.6%
| swing2 = {{decrease}} 34.0
| image3 = 150x150px
| candidate3 = Bernard Fitzsimon
| party3 = Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch)
| popular_vote3 = 8,865
| percentage3 = 18.3%
| swing3 = {{decrease}} 5.0
| 1blank = 2CP
| 1data1 = 50.1%
| 1data2 = 49.9%
| 2blank = 2CP change
| 2data1 = {{increase}} 50.1
| 2data2 = {{decrease}} 21.8
| map_image = File:nsw_electoral_district_orange_2015.svg
| map_size =
| map_caption = The electoral district of Orange is located in regional New South Wales.
| title = MP
| before_election = Andrew Gee
| before_party = National Party of Australia – NSW
| after_election = Philip Donato
| after_party = Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party
}}
A by-election for the seat of Orange in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly was held on 12 November 2016. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Nationals MP Andrew Gee on 6 May to contest the division of Calare at the 2016 federal election. The by-election was won by Philip Donato of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party—the first seat won by the party in a state lower house.
By-elections for the seats of Canterbury and Wollongong were held on the same day.
Background
The federal seat of Calare was vacated at the 2016 federal election by the retirement of John Cobb, who had held the seat for the National Party since 2007, and the seat of Parkes before that. On 30 April 2016, state member for Orange Andrew Gee contested and won a Nationals preselection ballot against three other candidates.{{cite news|title=Andrew Gee wins prized pre selection for Federal seat of Calare|url=http://www.wellingtontimes.com.au/story/3880254/andrew-gee-wins-prized-pre-selection-for-federal-seat-of-calare/|accessdate=11 November 2016|work=Wellington Times|date=30 April 2016}}
Although Orange was considered a safe Nationals seat with Gee holding the seat on a margin of 21.7 and the party having held the seat since 1947, a backlash against the Nationals was expected due in part to the Baird government's previous proposal to ban greyhound racing and the merger of a number of local councils.{{cite news|title=NSW by-elections: Nationals face greyhound backlash in Orange and ALP risking Wollongong|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-12/nationals-set-to-face-backlash-in-orange-by-election/8018168|accessdate=12 November 2016|work=ABC News|date=12 November 2016|language=en-AU}}
Dates
| class="wikitable" |
| Date
! Event |
|---|
| 30 May 2016
| Andrew Gee ceased to be a member of parliament.{{cite NSW Parliament |name=Mr Andrew Robert Gee (1968 - ) |id=70 |former=Yes |access-date=4 April 2019}} |
| 23 September 2016
| Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and close of electoral rolls.{{cite news |title=Writ of election: Orange |url=https://gazette.legislation.nsw.gov.au/so/download.w3p?id=Gazette_2016_2016-79.pdf |newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales |issue=76 |page=2697 |date=23 September 2016 |accessdate=27 September 2019}} |
| 27 October 2016
| Close of nominations for candidates |
| 12 November 2016
| Polling day, between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm |
| 25 November 2016
| Return of writ |
Candidates
The eight candidates in ballot paper order are as follows:{{cite web|title=List of Nominated Candidates|url=http://www.office.elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/orange_state_by-election/nominated_candidates|publisher=Electoral Commission NSW|accessdate=28 October 2016}}
| class="wikitable"
! colspan=4 | Candidate nominations |
| colspan=2 | Party
! Candidate ! Notes (not on ballot paper) |
|---|
| {{Australian party style|Greens}}|
| Janelle Bicknell | Registered nurse specialising in mental health for older people. Greens candidate for Orange at the 2015 state election.{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/orange-by-election-2016/ |last1=Green |first1=Antony |author-link=Antony Green |title=2016 Orange by-election |website=ABC Elections |accessdate=9 September 2020}} |
| {{Australian party style|National}}|
| Campaign manager, co-ordinator and policy advisor for the National Party. |
| {{Australian party style|Shooters}}| |
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|
| Kevin Duffy | Local councillor on Cabonne and Orange City Councils. Labor candidate for Orange in 2007 and 2011, and Calare in 2010. |
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|
| Scott Munro | Orange City councillor, grazier and butcher. Unsuccessfully contested Nationals preselection for Orange and Calare. |
| {{Australian party style|Country Labor}}|
| Bernard Fitzsimon | Public Service Association and union delegate. Labor candidate for Orange in 2015. |
| {{Australian party style|Christian Democrats}}|
| Dianne Decker | Disability services sector worker and former Forbes councillor. |
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|
| Ian Donald |
Results
{{Election box begin
|title=
Saturday 12 November{{hsp}}{{cite web |url=https://results.elections.nsw.gov.au/SB1602/Orange/Parliamentary/FirstPreferencesReport.html|publisher=Electoral Commission NSW |title=First Preference Votes Report Parliamentary Election: Orange |work=November State By-Elections 12-NOV-2016 |date=17 November 2016|accessdate=8 May 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://results.elections.nsw.gov.au/SB1602/Orange/Parliamentary/OrangeCheckCountTCP.pdf |publisher=Electoral Commission NSW |title=Check Count TCP Results Parliamentary Election: Orange |work=November State By-Elections 12-NOV-2016 |date=16 November 2016|accessdate=8 May 2023}}
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Scott Barrett
|party = Nationals NSW
|votes = 15,267
|percentage = 31.58
|change = −34.01
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Philip Donato
|party = Shooters, Fishers and Farmers
|votes = 11,487
|percentage = 23.76
|change = +23.76
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Bernard Fitzsimon
|party = Country Labor NSW
|votes = 8,865
|percentage = 18.34
|change = −5.02
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Scott Munro
|party = Independent
|votes = 4,527
|percentage = 9.36
|change = +9.36
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Kevin Duffy
|party = Independent
|votes = 3,182
|percentage = 6.58
|change = +6.58
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Janelle Bicknell
|party = Greens NSW
|votes = 2,739
|percentage = 5.67
|change = −1.08
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Dianne Decker
|party = Christian Democrats
|votes = 1,633
|percentage = 3.38
|change = +0.79
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|candidate = Ian Donald
|party = Independent
|votes = 644
|percentage = 1.33
|change = +1.33
}}
{{Election box formal
|votes = 48,344
|percentage = 97.3
|change = +0.2
}}
{{Election box informal
|votes = 1,343
|percentage = 2.7
|change = −0.2
}}
{{Election box turnout
|votes = 49,687
|percentage = 88.3
|change = −3.2
}}
{{Election box 2cp}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|party = Shooters, Fishers and Farmers
|candidate = Philip Donato
|votes = 18,593
|percentage = 50.11
|change = +50.11
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|party = Nationals NSW
|candidate = Scott Barrett
|votes = 18,543
|percentage = 49.89
|change = −21.81
}}
{{Election box gain AU party
|winner = Shooters, Fishers and Farmers
|loser = Nationals NSW
|swing = N/A
}}
{{Election box end}}
Andrew Gee resigned to successfully contest Calare at the 2016 federal election.
On election night, a notional two-party-preferred count was conducted between the Nationals and Labor, which was abandoned when it became apparent that the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party would be in second place. A two-candidate-preferred check count completed on 16 November showed the SFFP ahead by 84 votes. When the official distribution of preferences took place on 17 November, the count ended with the Nationals in front by 66 votes.{{cite news |last1=Green |first1=Antony |author-link=Antony Green |title=Orange By-election Commentary|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/canterbury-by-election-2016/commentary/|accessdate=18 November 2016|work=ABC Elections}} The Shooters Party contested the result, claiming an error in the count of about 100 votes.{{cite news|title=Shooters cast doubt as Barrett takes byelection lead from Donato|url=http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/story/4299810/shooters-cast-doubt-as-barrett-takes-byelection-lead-from-donato/?cs=103|accessdate=18 November 2016|work=The Central West Advocate|date=18 November 2016}} A review of the ballots found a bundle of votes had been wrongly applied in the distribution, and the result was a win for Philip Donato by 55 votes. The National Party requested a recount, which was granted and was conducted Monday 21 November.{{cite news|last1=Nicholls|first1=Sean|title=Shooters finish first in Orange byelection but recount requested by Nationals|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/shooters-finish-first-in-orange-byelection-but-recount-requested-by-nationals-20161118-gssmo4.html|accessdate=18 November 2016|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=18 November 2016}} The recount confirmed the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party's win by a margin of 50 votes.{{cite news|last1=Woodburn|first1=Joanna|title=Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party claim first seat in NSW Lower House after Orange re-count|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-21/orange-by-election-final-result/8043658|accessdate=21 November 2016|work=ABC News|date=21 November 2016}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{NSW by-elections 56th parl|state=expanded}}
{{Results of New South Wales state elections}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orange 2016}}
Category:2016 elections in Australia