| Electoral District Of Gaven |
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Gaven was created as a notionally conservative seat, and was contested for the conservative National Party Of Australia by the incumbent member for Albert, Bill Baumann , at the 2001 Election . However, amidst a statewide landslide victory for the Australian Labor Party , the seat fell to union organiser Robert Poole with a 14.6% swing. The National Party agreed to let their coalition partner, the more urban Liberal Party Of Australia contest the seat at the 2004 Election , and though they nominated former Gold Coast mayor Ray Stevens, Poole was returned with only a slight swing against him. Poole became the subject of increasing controversy during his second term, as he spent most of his term out of the state, living with his family in Thailand . This reached its peak in 2006 , when Poole revaled that he intended to spend the first half the year in Thailand while he recovered from surgery. A furious Premier Peter Beattie demanded that Poole return or face having his seat formally declared vacant, and Poole reluctantly stepped down in late February. Facing a highly winnable By-election , the Coalition made the decision to allow the National Party to contest the seat, which bemused some observers, who noted that the party had only polled 2% for the Senate in Gaven's federal booths at the 2004 Federal Election . Their candidate, GP Alex Douglas , did not leave in the electorate and faced vehement Labor attacks for being a National in a typically Liberal region, but ultimately won with an 8% swing, defeating Labor candidate and union official Phil Gray. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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