Queensland Election Newsletter – Issue 6

1 February 2015

Queensland can be relied upon to deliver a shock result.

In what is a testament to the volatility of modern Australian politics, the people of Queensland have once again delivered a shock result, removing from office the first term Newman Government.

Elected in 2012 with the most seats of any government in Australian history, the LNP will not be returning to the Treasury benches.

Needing 45 seats to form government, the ALP currently has a reasonably solid count at 44 seats, with a number still in contention.  The Electoral Commission of Queensland is working today to secure an outcome as soon as possible in undecided seats.

Counting continued today in Mansfield (ALP ahead), Whitsunday (LNP ahead) and Maryborough (ALP ahead), all previously held by the LNP with strong margins.  These seats are likely to decide the numbers for the next Parliament.  The major parties have dispatched scrutineers to closely follow and report on the count.

Independent Peter Wellington has been returned in the seat of Nicklin.  Wellington is remembered for supporting the minority Beattie Government in 1998, and remains on good terms with the ALP.  More recently, he has consistently railed against the LNP as one of the Newman Government’s harshest critics.

Katter’s Australian Party MPs Robbie Katter (Mt Isa) and Shane Knuth (Dalrymple), have both managed convincing wins.

Next steps

Annastacia Palaszczuk has so far resisted the temptation to claim outright victory, though Newman, who remains Premier until a new government is sworn in, has cleared out his office on level 15 of the Executive Building in Brisbane.

Over coming days, the new Labor caucus will meet to consider the election outcome.

When the Electoral Commission is in a position to declare a definite result, a Cabinet will be sworn in, though this is likely to still be days away.  Until that time, caretaker conventions will remain in force and no major decisions can be made.