McConnel
Queensland—Legislative Assembly
Map of the electoral district of McConnel, 2017
StateQueensland
Dates current2017–present
MPGrace Grace
PartyLabor Party
NamesakeMary McConnel
Electors39,448 (2020)
Area13 km2 (5.0 sq mi)
DemographicInner-metropolitan
Coordinates27°27′25″S 153°02′02″E / 27.4569°S 153.034°E / -27.4569; 153.034
Electorates around McConnel:
Stafford Clayfield Clayfield
Cooper McConnel Bulimba
South Brisbane South Brisbane Bulimba

McConnel is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland. It was created in the 2017 redistribution[1] as essentially a reconfigured version of Brisbane Central.

It covers the Brisbane CBD, as well as the suburbs of Kelvin Grove, Herston, Bowen Hills, Newstead, Teneriffe, Fortitude Valley, Spring Hill, Petrie Terrace and New Farm.[1]

It is named after Mary McConnel, one of Queensland's early European settlers, who came to Queensland in 1849. With her husband David McConnel, they ran the Cressbrook pastoral station. Mary McConnel was a close friend of Diamantina Bowen, the wife of the first Queensland Governor George Bowen, and together with a committee of ladies, they embarked on a program of building hospitals for women and children, such as the Lady Bowen Hospital which provided maternity services. After the Bowens left Queensland, Mary McConnel continued to raise funding to build a children's hospital. The Hospital for Sick Children in Brisbane was opened on 11 March 1878.[2]

From results of the last election, McConnel is estimated to be a marginal seat for the Labor Party with a margin of 3.1%.[3] Grace Grace, the last member for Brisbane Central, transferred to McConnel and won with a modest swing.

The electorate containing what is now the Brisbane CBD has been known variously as Town of Brisbane (1859–1873), Brisbane City (1873–1878), North Brisbane (1878–1888), Brisbane North (1888–1912), Brisbane (1912–1977) and Brisbane Central (1977–2017).

Members for McConnel

Member Party Term
  Grace Grace Labor 2017–present

Election results

Main article: Electoral results for the district of McConnel
2020 Queensland state election: McConnel[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Grace Grace 11,616 35.30 +1.62
Liberal National Pinky Singh 10,192 30.97 −5.55
Greens Kirsten Lovejoy 9,263 28.15 +1.04
Legalise Cannabis Paul Swan 721 2.19 +2.19
One Nation Anne Perry 474 1.44 +1.44
Independent Miranda Bertram 236 0.72 +0.72
United Australia Malcolm Wood 164 0.50 +0.50
Informed Medical Options Alan Hamilton 152 0.46 +0.46
Independent John Dobinson 93 0.28 −0.75
Total formal votes 32,911 97.38 +1.33
Informal votes 885 2.62 −1.33
Turnout 33,796 85.67 +4.10
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Grace Grace 20,096 61.06 +3.20
Liberal National Pinky Singh 12,815 38.94 −3.20
Labor hold Swing +3.20

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Queensland Redistribution Commission (26 May 2017). "Determination of Queensland's Legislative Assembly Electoral Districts" (PDF). Queensland Government Gazette. p. 188. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  2. ^ Clun, Rachel (24 February 2017). "The stories behind the 19 new Queensland electorate names". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  3. ^ Green, Antony. "2017 Queensland Redistribution". ABC Elections. Archived from the original on 4 November 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  4. ^ 2020 State General Election – McConnel – District Summary, ECQ.
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