Federal election 2025 seat of Leichhardt

A surprise result is brewing in the Far North in no small part thanks to preferences from minor parties.

Australian Labor Party candidate for Leichhardt Matt Smith casts his ballot in the federal election at White Rock State School. Picture: Brendan Radke

Labor’s Matt Smith is all but certain to claim victory in the Far North seat of Leichhardt with the former Cairns Taipans basketball player set to defy the bookies, with the LNP’s Jeremy Neal staring down a likely defeat.

Mr Neal did not concede at his election after party in Mooroobool on Saturday night but his main rival’s probable win is looking more likely with a strong lead in the primary vote (36.6 to 23.2 per cent) with 24,179 votes counted at deadline.

Should the ALP candidate win, it will be in part thanks to preferences from minor parties, including a surprisingly strong performance from the Legalise Cannabis Party’s Nicholas Daniels (7.6 per cent) with 1687 votes.

Early counting showed a 10.2 per cent swing to the Labor Party with preferences from the Green’s Phil Musumeci (10.7 per cent) with 2390 votes bolstering the party’s chances.

LNP candidate for Leichhardt Jeremy Neal arrives at Our Lady Help of Christians School with his wife Leearna and son Winston, 5, to cast his ballot in the federal election. Picture: Samuel Davis

Trailing behind were candidates preferencing the Coaltion, including One Nation’s Robert Hicks (7.7 per cent) and Katter’s Australia Party’s Dr Daniel Collins (6.3 per cent) in the early stages.

Other candidates including Family First contender Les Searle (2.4 per cent) Independent, Trumpet of Patriots’ Greg Dowling (2.3 per cent), Independent Norman Miller (2.0 per cent)

and Libertarian Party aspirant, Lloyd Russell (1.2 per cent) rounded out the race.

Mr Neal cast his vote at Our Lady Help of Christians School (OLHOC) in Earliville just after 9am on Saturday with wife Leearna and youngest son, Winston, five, by his side.

Australian Labor Party candidate for Leichhardt Matt Smith and ALP senator Nita Green speak with a voter at White Rock State School. Picture: Brendan Radke

Meanwhile rival Matt Smith looked cool, calm and collected voting at White Rock State School despite being a $2.40 outsider with the bookies to win the Far North seat.

Mr Neal was paying $1.50 to retain the seat for the Coalition, following on from the retiring Warren Entsch who is the longest serving member in the history of Leichhardt.

“It’s really weird to vote for yourself but I numbered every box and made sure it counted,” Mr Neal said. “I’m excited. It’s been a hard slog … we thought the election was going to be earlier but the cyclone (TC Alfred) stretched it out a little bit.

“It’s good to be at the end and hopefully Australia gets a bit of direction for the next three years. The message is let’s get Australia back on track. We’ve been slipping the last three years.”

LNP candidate for Leichhardt Jeremy Neal with his wife Leearna and son Winston, 5, votes in the federal election at Our Lady Help of Christians School . Picture: Samuel Davis

Regardless of the result, Mr Neal said taking his son bush would be one of his first priorities after the election.

“I’m not too sure Winston knows what’s going on,” he said. “He knows dad is in a race and today he finishes it. He’s so excited. He wants to go camping and I said, ‘Only when dad finishes his race can we go camping.”

Mr Neal was hoping to succeed the LNP’s retiring incumbent, Warren Entsch, who is the seat’s longest serving office bearer, having represented the Far North for 26 years.

Originally published as Federal election 2025 seat of Leichhardt