Geoff Brock

Who is Geoff Brock?

Geoffrey Graeme "Geoff" Brock is a South Australian politician, representing the seat of Frome in the South Australian House of Assembly as an Independent, after a shock win at the 2009 Frome state by-election, defeating the Liberal candidate Terry Boylan. He had a high local profile prior to the election, having served for almost six years as the Mayor of the Port Pirie Regional Council. Independent Senator Nick Xenophon also campaigned for Brock.

On 23.6 percent of the primary vote and 51.7 percent of the two-candidate vote, Brock's election was dependent on preferences from Labor, Nationals SA, and the SA Greens, the former two having placed him second on their how to vote card. His own how to vote card saw him preference the Nationals, Labor, Liberal, Green, and One Nation, in that order. The by-election was closely contested, with the result being uncertain for over a week. Initial reports suggested a slight swing to the Liberal candidate Terry Boylan on the two-party preferred count against Labor, but with Independent candidate Geoff Brock not far behind Labor. By 21 January 2009, both the ABC's Antony Green and the State Electoral Office were indicating a two percent swing against the Liberals toward Labor on 51.4 percent, but not enough to lose the seat. Liberal leader Martin Hamilton-Smith claimed victory on behalf of the party.