1987 Heathcote state by-election

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Heathcote on 31 January 1987 following the resignation of sitting Labor party member Rex Jackson amidst a corruption scandal that ultimately led to his imprisonment.[1] Jackson was facing conspiracy charges arising from his role as Minister for Corrective Services and Jackson resigned so that he could use his superannuation payout to meet his legal costs, where the government has ceased paying those costs in March 1985. Jackson said "The Government's put me in a position where I've got no choice. What the Labor Party has done to me is absolutely outrageous".[2] The Labor government delayed the by-election as long as possible, arguing that it was not possible to hold an election during Jackson's trial or while Parliament was sitting. The Leader of the Opposition, Nick Greiner, rejected this argument, declaring that the election was only delayed in an attempt to allow any bad press from the corruption trial to die down.[3][4] The election finally came on 31 January 1987, and was rarely short of drama: Jackson, with criminal charges hanging over his head, entered as a spoiler candidate;[5][6][7] the Liberals found themselves in hot water over an illegally large billboard prominently placed on the electorate's border over the Princes Highway;[8] and the ALP were accused of sabotage after vandals cut loose from its moorings a Liberal advertising blimp.[9][10]

The Heathcote by-election was held the same day as the Bankstown by-election.

Dates
Date Event
27 October 1983 Rex Jackson resigned as Minister for Corrective Services and Minister for Roads.[1]
March 1985 NSW Government ceased paying Jackson's legal bills.[2]
13 August 1986 Rex Jackson resigned from parliament.[1]
2 January 1987 Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and close of electoral rolls.[11]
8 January 1987 Nominations
31 January 1987 Polling day
20 February 1987 Return of writ

Results
1987 Heathcote by-election
Saturday 31 January [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Ian McManus 10,870 37.4 -18.2
Liberal Allan Andrews 9,173 31.6 -2.2
Independent Rex Jackson 1,862 6.4
Independent Brian Tobin 1,780 6.1
Community Conservation Team Jim Powell 1,490 5.1
Call to Australia Kevin O'Connor 1,168 4.0
Australian Democrats Murray Scott 1,076 3.7 -7.0
Marijuana Nicholas Brash 675 2.3
Socialist Workers Robynne Murphy 276 1.0
Independent Cheryl Hill 179 0.6
Centre Unity Party Colin Poulos [lower-alpha 1] 179 0.6
Unite Australia Alan Smith 168 0.6
Independent Noel Carr 141 0.5
Independent Cecil Lloyd [lower-alpha 2] 18 0.1
Independent Kusala Fitzroy-Mendis 11 0.0
Independent Stanley Fitzroy-Mendis 9 0.0
Total formal votes 29,075 98.0
Informal votes 602 2.0
Turnout 29,677 88.8
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Ian McManus 13,517 52.8 -8.3
Liberal Allan Andrews 12,077 47.2 +8.3
Labor hold Swing-8.3

See also

Notes
  1. The register kept by the Election Funding Authority lists Colin Poulos as a member of the Centre Unity Party,[13][14] while the NSW Election results database lists him as an independent.[12]
  2. The register kept by the Election Funding Authority lists Cecil Lloyd as an independent,[13] The NSW Election results database lists Lloyd as a member of the Illawarra Workers Party.[12] which is generally considered to have been founded by George Petersen after his split with the Labor Party,[15] in May 1987.[16]

References
  1. "Mr Rex Frederick Jackson (1928–2011)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  2. "Outraged Jackson quits, causes by-election". The Canberra Times. 14 August 1986. p. 1. Retrieved 21 October 2019 – via Trove.
  3. Shanahan, Dennis (10 November 1986). "Delayed Heathcote Poll Set for Jan 31". Sydney Morning Herald.
  4. Green, Antony (2005). "New South Wales By-Elections Background". ABC. Retrieved 2 April 2007.
  5. Coultan, Mark (7 January 1987). "Heathcote: Is Rex Planning to Deal Barrie a Wild Card?". Sydney Morning Herald.
  6. Coultan, Mark & Laurence, Michael (9 January 1987). "Jackson Plays His Wild Card". Sydney Morning Herald.
  7. Glover, Richard & Schwartz, Larry (17 January 1987). "Rex Jackson's Revenge". Sydney Morning Herald.
  8. Clark, Pilita (3 January 1987). "Liberals Stand Firm in Saga of the Sign". Sydney Morning Herald.
  9. Clark, Pilita (17 November 1986). "ALP Supporters Accused of Heathcote 'Sabotage'". Sydney Morning Herald.
  10. "Floating Vote-Catcher to Fly Again for Libs". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 November 1986.
  11. "Writ of election: Heathcote". New South Wales Government Gazette (4). 2 January 1987. p. 61. Retrieved 21 October 2019 – via Trove.
  12. Green, Antony. "1987 results Heathcote by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  13. "Election Funding Act 1981: register of candidates". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (20). 30 January 1987. p. 481. Retrieved 23 November 2019 – via Trove.
  14. Grealy, Michael (4 January 1987). "At 20 Colin's a cool candidate". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  15. Abjorensen, Norman (4 March 1988). "A Battler on the railway bridge at dawn". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 7. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  16. "NSW Labor backbencher expelled". The Canberra Times. 28 May 1987. p. 6. Retrieved 23 November 2019 – via Trove.
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