MP

David Pisoni (LIB) since the 2006 election.

Profile

Covers the inner southern suburbs of Adelaide immediately south of the CBD. It includes Unley, Hyde Park, Unley Park, Malvern, Parkside, Eastwood, Glenside, Frewville, Glenunga, Fullarton, Myrtle Bank, Highgate, and parts of Wayville, Goodwood, Millswood and Glen Osmond.

Redistribution

On its western boundary Unley loses Kings Park and part of Wayville to Ashford while gaining Glenside from Bragg in the east. The Liberal margin rises slightly from 1.1% to a still marginal 1.9%.

History/Trivia

Unley was a Liberal electorate from its creation in 1938 until being won for Labor by former Australian wicketkeeper Gil Langley at the 1962 election. He was succeeded by Kym Mayes in 1982, a Minister in the Bannon and Arnold government's who lost his seat in the 1993 landslide. Subsequent redistributions have shifted the seat back into the Liberal camp, Unley held by Mark Brindal from 1993 to 2006 when he was succeeded by David Pisoni. The name of the electorate is derived from either the family name of the wife of Thomas Whistler who was an early land holder in Unley, or from the English town of Unley. The 1973 election saw an unusual protest in Unley, when several local activist complained about the quality of candidates by nominating the improbably named Susie Creamcheese on behalf of the Happy Birthday Party. Creamcheese polled 6% of the vote.

Assessment