“It is a matter of history that incumbent governments find it nigh on impossible to win seats off an opposition at a by-election. For the last 100 years or so no government, of either political persuasion, has won a seat off an opposition at a by-election.”
RMIT ABC Fact Check rated this: Correct
RMIT ABC Fact Check says: Senator Cormann is correct. The last time an opposition lost a seat to a government at a by-election was in 1920 — almost 100 years ago. The previous MP in that by-election, Hugh Mahon, remains the only member in the hi…