Queensland election 2015: Your Gold Coast electorate guide

HAVE no idea who the candidates are for your electorate? We’ve got your comprehensive Gold Coast guide right here.

HAVE no idea who the candidates are for your electorate? WeÂ’ve got your comprehensive Gold Coast guide right here:

Nominations have closed for the January 31 poll, and these are the people the Gold Coast has to choose from to represent them in the Queensland Parliament.

SUMMER SHOWDOWN ELECTION COVERAGE

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Fifty-six candidates, some independent and most from the state’s seven registered parties, have nominated for the 10 local seats.

ALBERT

LNP: Mark Boothman, 37, has held this seat since taking the electorate from Labor in 2012. Married with three children.

ALP: Melissa McMahon has taken leave from her role at the Queensland Police Service recruiting department to run for Albert. A former army officer and married mother of two young children.

PUP: Blair Brewster

FAMILY FIRST: Amanda Best ran for the Federal seat of Forde in 2013. Runs an events management company.

GNS: Jane CajdlerNews_Image_File: Member for Albert Mark Boothman is going for re-election. News_Image_File: Police Officer and ALP candidate Melissa McMahon will be attempting to unseat him. Pictures: Jack Tran

COOMERA

LNP: Michael Crandon has held this seat since 2009. Married father of three, 61 years old.

ALP: Brett McCreadie is the CEO of Union Shopper Ltd and a former soldier. Unsuccessfully contested the seat of Beaudesert in 2012. Married with two children.

PUP: Shirley Morgan is a north Queensland-raised lawyer, who works for Clive Palmer’s company Mineralogy. She specialises in corporate banking and finance law. Has worked for ASIC and the Cultural Centre at Southbank.

FF: Cathy O’Brien

GNS: Chris WisbeyNews_Image_File: Michael Crandon MP is the current MP for Coomera.News_Image_File: ALP candidate Brett McCreadie is taking a run at Coomera after previously attempting to win Beaudesert. News_Rich_Media: It's the one word Premier Campbell Newman is adamant Queenslanders will associate with his State Election campaign.

GAVEN

IND: Dr Alex Douglas, 57, has held this seat since 2009, when he won it for the LNP, which he left before joining the PUP. The GP has since left that party too. A married father of five.

LNP: Sid Cramp is a communications officer for the Queensland Ambulance Service. Married father of two.
ALP: Michael Riordan is an English teacher and occasional television scriptwriter. He unsuccessfully ran for election in Currumbin in 2006 and 2009; and Gaven in 2012. Married with two daughters.

PUP: Adam Marcinkowski beat Clive Palmer’s wife Anna for party pre-selection for this seat. The Boss of VIP Security Services helped the PUP in its 2013 federal campaign.

FF: Ben O’Brien

GNS: Toni McPherson

IND: Chris IvoryNews_Image_File: Alex Douglas is back running as an Independent after splitting from the Palmer United Party. Photo: Richard GoslingNews_Image_File: Sidney Cramp has been preselected by the LNP for the seat of Gaven.

BROADWATER

LNP: Verity Barton, 28, has held this seat since taking it from Labor in 2012. Before that, she’d worked as a retail assistant and LNP electoral officer.

ALP: Penny Toland is a medical scientist and solicitor. She ran as an Independent for Gaven in 2012 and is a previous junior vice president of the Queensland Public Sector Union.

PUP: George Sokolov is a professional photographer and Clive Palmer’s brother-in-law. A father of two.

FF: Dr Stuart Ballantyne is managing director of maritime services firm Sea Transport.

GNS: Daniel Kwon

ONE NATION: Phil Pollock

IND: Amin-Reza JavanmardNews_Image_File: LNP member for Broadwater Verity Barton has been in hot water since the start of the election campaign when it was revealed she’d driven while unlicensed. Picture: Regi VargheseNews_Image_File: Labor candidates Penny Toland and Georgi Leader will attempt to stop the run of LNP blue across the Gold Coast. Picture: JERAD WILLIAMS

SOUTHPORT

LNP: Rob Molhoek, a former city councillor, is Assistant Minister for Planning Reform and has held this seat since 2012. Married with four sons.

ALP: Rowan Holzberger has worked in the agricultural sector and insurance and has a young family.

PUP: Nicole Stanton is a mediator and solicitor. The Bond Uni graduate owns a business in Southport.

GRN: Petrina Maizey

IND: Matthew MackechnieNews_Image_File: LNP candidate and sitting member Rob Molhoek (left) will go head-to-head with Labor's Rowan Holsberger. Pic: David ClarkNews_Rich_Media: Queensland Labor has announced $40 million for fresh business ideas as part of its election campaign.

MUDGEERABA

LNP: Ros Bates is a former nurse who has held this seat for five years. The former Arts and Science Minister, 53, resigned from her portfolio and there were doubts she would retain preselection for the seat — but she did. Mother of three.

ALP: Georgi Leader, is a studying a Bachelor of Government and International Relations at Griffith University and is a qualified financial planner. Mother of one daughter.

PUP: Benedict Figueroa

FF: Chris Peterson

GNS: Roger Brisbane

IND: Bill SherwoodNews_Image_File: Former Minister Ros Bates has had a tough term but will continue to battle for Mudgeeraba. Picture Glenn Hampson

SURFERS PARADISE

LNP: John-Paul Langbroek, a dentist, has held the seat for 11 years. The Education Minister has one of the highest LNP margins in the state and is among the contenders for party leader if Campbell Newman is ousted.

ALP: Josh Blundell-Thornton just graduated from law and politics at Griffith University. Former TSS student.

PUP: Stephen Gardner is managing director of Rolin Automotive Imports and has also worked in property development.

FF: Jonathon Scoones

GNS: Helen HuntNews_Image_File: Surfers Paradise MP John Paul Langbroek appears safe in his seat. Pic: Adam HeadNews_Image_File: Josh Blundell-Thornton has recently graduated from University.

CURRUMBIN

LNP: Jann Stuckey, 59, who has held this seat since 2004, is Minister for Tourism, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games.

ALP: Ashley Wain is a construction project manager. Gained a public profile as spokesman for water price protest group Disconnex in 2011. Married father of four.

PUP: Kristian Rees, 35, is a former central defender for Clive Palmer’s defunct A-League side Gold Coast United. The Adelaide-born sportsman ran for the party in the 2013 Federal Election and has two sons.

FF: Ben Donovan

GNS: David Wyatt

ONE NATION: Deborah GravenaNews_Image_File: Jann Stuckey has been the LNP member for Currumbin since 2004. Pic by Luke Marsden.News_Image_File: Labor candidate for Currumbin Ashley Wain

MERMAID BEACH

LNP: Ray Stevens, 61, has held the seat since 2006. The former Albert Shire Mayor is married with two children.

ALP: Gary Pead’s Linkedin profile describes him as climate reality project leader at Climate Reality Project. He ran with the Greens for the seat in 2006.

PUP: Alessandro (Alex) Caraco is an experienced real estate agent who was once the CEO of Coldwell Banker.

FF: Simon Green

GNS: Helen WainwrightNews_Image_File: Mermaid Beach MP Ray Stevens at last week’s Magic Millions.News_Image_File: Gary Pead, with wife Jill and granddaughter Quinn, is running for Labor in Mermaid Beach. Pic: Tim Marsden 22/9/11

BURLEIGH

LNP: Michael Hart took this seat in 2012 from the ALP. Had a tilt at the seat in 2009.

ALP: Gail Hislop is a former health worker and union officer. Ran for the Federal seat of McPherson in 2013.

PUP: Jim MacAnnally ran for council in 2012 and for the Federal seat of Fadden in 2013. Seen as one of the party’s powerbrokers. Married father of three.

FF: Sue Baynes is a church leader and teacher. Married with two children.

GNS: Jane PowerNews_Image_File: Burleigh MP Michael Hart will face off in one of the Gold Coast’s key election battlegrounds.News_Image_File: Labor candidate for Burleigh Gail Hislop (right), with opposition leader Annastacia Palaszczuk, has been campaigning heavily for years.