According to the results from the Australian Electoral Commission, Abbott lost a third of his vote from the 2016 Federal Election with a 20% swing to Stegall.
While people will be talking about his loss for a long time, why not look back at when he won election as the MP for Warringah back in 1994.
Why was the by-election called?
The member for Warringah - Michael MacKellar announced on January 21, 1994, that he would resign from Federal Parliament to accept a role at Plastics, Chemicals and Allied Industries Association of Australia.
MacKellar had served the electorate for 24 years.
Selecting the Liberal candidate for Warringah
It was rumoured that Senator Bronwyn Bishop would run as she was building a support base within the electorate. She ended up contesting MacKellar.
Abbott won preselection for the seat of Warringah on February 20, 1994, for the Liberal Party, defeating Peter King (later became MP for Wentworth from 2001-2004),
The result
The by-elections in Warringah and MacKellar was held on March 26, 1994. The Labor party did not field a candidate in either seat.
Abbott won Warringah with 55 % of first preferences and a two-party preferred vote of 59 %. He pledged his loyalty to Liberal Party leader John Hewson. Before contesting the seat, Abbott was a staffer to Hewson and head of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy.
Bishop had a tougher battle, winning on preferences. She would remain as the member for MacKellar until 2016 when she lost preselection to Jason Falinski as the Liberal Candidate for the 2016 Federal Election. This came after she resigned as speaker in the Abbott after charging taxpayers $5 500 for a 2015 helicopter charter flight from Geelong to Melbourne.
Below is full coverage of the by-election results from the March 27, 1994 edition of The Sunday Telegraph.
The result
The by-elections in Warringah and MacKellar was held on March 26, 1994. The Labor party did not field a candidate in either seat.
Abbott won Warringah with 55 % of first preferences and a two-party preferred vote of 59 %. He pledged his loyalty to Liberal Party leader John Hewson. Before contesting the seat, Abbott was a staffer to Hewson and head of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy.
Bishop had a tougher battle, winning on preferences. She would remain as the member for MacKellar until 2016 when she lost preselection to Jason Falinski as the Liberal Candidate for the 2016 Federal Election. This came after she resigned as speaker in the Abbott after charging taxpayers $5 500 for a 2015 helicopter charter flight from Geelong to Melbourne.
Below is full coverage of the by-election results from the March 27, 1994 edition of The Sunday Telegraph.
