Cairns is an electoral district in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland in the state of Queensland, Australia.
The division encompasses the central business district and inner-suburbs of Cairns, in Far North Queensland. Major locations include Bungalow, Manoora, Kanimbla, Earlville and Woree.
History Created in 1888, Cairns has historically tended to be a safe Labor seat with a blue-collar economy based on sugar, mining and railways. However, in recent decades such industry has been surpassed in importance by tourism and service industries for wealthier retirees and has grown increasingly marginal.
This trend culminated in 2012, when Gavin King took the seat for the LNP on a massive swing of over 13 percent, becoming the first conservative to hold the seat since 1904. The seat reverted to its Labor ways in 2015, when Rob Pyne defeated King on a swing slightly larger than the one King picked up three years earlier. Pyne quit the party to become an independent in 2016. He was defeated by Labor's Michael Healy in 2017.
Members for Cairns MemberPartyTerm Frederick Wimble Liberal 1888–1890 Opposition 1890–1893 Thomas Joseph Byrnes Ministerial 1893–1896 Isidor Lissner Ministerial 1896–1899 Thomas Givens Labour 1899–1902 James Lyons Conservative 1902–1904 John Mann Labour 1904–1907 Kidstonites 1907–1909 Independent Opposition 1909–1912 William McCormack Labor 1912–1930 John O'Keefe Labor 1930–1942 Lou Barnes Independent Labor 1942–1947 Thomas Crowley Labor 1947–1956 Watty Wallace Labor 1956–1964 Ray Jones Labor 1965–1983 Keith De Lacy Labor 1983–1998 Desley Boyle Labor 1998–2012 Gavin King Liberal National 2012–2015 Rob Pyne Labor 2015–2016 Independent 2016–2017 Michael Healy Labor 2017–present
Election results
References
External links Electorate profile (Antony Green, ABC)