The Division of Franklin is an Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania. The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir John Franklin, the polar explorer who was Lt Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1843-46. It is located in southern Tasmania, including the Hobart suburbs of Bridgewater, Cygnet, Kingston and Lauderdale. It has always been a reasonably marginal seat, changing hands between the Australian Labor Party and the Liberal Party and i...
more
The Division of Franklin is an Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania. The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir John Franklin, the polar explorer who was Lt Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1843-46. It is located in southern Tasmania, including the Hobart suburbs of Bridgewater, Cygnet, Kingston and Lauderdale. It has always been a reasonably marginal seat, changing hands between the Australian Labor Party and the Liberal Party and its predecessors.
Although after 14 years of representation by former Labor and independent member Harry Quick the seat of Franklin was considered safe Labor, Franklin was one of very few electorates to record a swing to the Liberals at the last election. Franklin also has a strong history of voting for strong candidates rather than for a particular party.
Sitting Labor member Harry Quick announced that he will retire at the 2007 election in 2005. When Labor preselected union official Kevin Harkins as a replacement, Quick, seeing him as...
less