Federal election 2022: Green wave sweeps across South East Queensland
The Greens have claimed the prize scalps of Griffith and Ryan while the LNP’s Trevor Evans has conceded defeat in his electorate of Brisbane. Follow the live results and expert analysis.
The biggest ground campaign in Australian Greens' history has secured the prize scalps of Griffith and Ryan while the LNP has conceded defeat in the electorate of Brisbane.
The Coalition’s Trevor Evans has conceded defeat, announcing to his supporters that he will not retain the electorate of Brisbane.
The seat will likely go to Labor's Madonna Jarrett.
“It won’t be the LNP that holds it for at least the next three years,” Me Evans said.
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Meanwhile in Griffith, Labor's Terri Butler has been defeated by Max Chandler-Mather, who has recorded a huge primary vote of 35.7 per cent.
Ms Butler is the only sitting Labor MP at this stage to be defeated.
Mr Chandler-Mather was the mastermind of the party's defeat of former Deputy Premier Jackie Trad in South Brisbane at 2020's state election.
Ms Butler's primary vote fell by 2 per cent while the LNP suffered an 11.5 per cent collapse in support.
The Greens' victory is a big blow to Labor, which had expected to hold the seat.
The Greens candidates for Ryan, Elizabeth Watson-Brown, and for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather.
Mr Rudd held the seat on a 53-47 basis over the LNP when he led the Labor Party to defeat in 2013.
Since the 2013 election the Greens' support has more than tripled.
The Greens have also win Ryan, with Elizabeth Watson-Brown defeating the Coalition's incumbent MP Julian Simmonds in Ryan.
Warren Entsch and the LNP will hold Leichhardt and Terry Young has been re-elected to Longman.
Labor had hoped to win both seats.
Labor's Anika Wells will hold-off controversial LNP candidate Vivian Lobo to win the seat of Lilley.
Lobo is the subject of an Australian Federal Police investigation over allegations he provided false information to the electoral commission.
It's status quo across the rest of Queensland with the Coalition retaining Dawson and Flynn following the retirement of its members.
The election of Colin Boyce in Flynn completes his transition from the Queensland Parliament to the Commonwealth Parliament.
Greens' Leader Adam Bandt has credited his party's Brisbane surge to the "strong people power campaign".
Bandt said voters were becoming more concerned about the climate and cost of living pressures.
"They've knocked on every door and had over 30,000 conversations," he said of the Brisbane campaign.
Updates
Fight for Dutton's seat of Dickson to go to the wire
Edward.Randell
At 10pm Labor's Ali France had still not concerned a loss to Peter Dutton in the seat of Dickson, despite the 51-48 per cent preference favouring the Defence Minister. Ms France said a “monumental effort” was needed to remove Dutton from the seat he's held for 21 years. But the crowd roared when a hopeful France announced “we are incredibly close”. Ms France rattled off a list of thank yous to the room, including to the ETU, her two sons and her dad, apologising to her fans that there would likely not be a clear outcome this evening. “Campaigns can often be very stressful environments, but everyone here was absolutely focused on the prize, which is getting rid of Peter Dutton,” she said, which was met with a round of applause and one rowdy crowd member passionately yelling out “drop the dud". Ms France cheerfully declared that Australia was "on track for an Albanese Labor Government,” but maintained the seat of Dickson was "too close to call". "It's too close to call tonight but we will over the next few days. We'll be counting and watching carefully but no matter the result, you all have put in an absolutely phenomenal effort and I stand on your shoulders," she said.
Ms France said she would not concede with the race so close and the votes for Strathpine yet to come in, which is expected to add huge pre-poll numbers to the final count.
– Taylah Fellows
Brisbane turns Green as Evans concedes defeat, Ryan likely to follow
Edward.Randell
The Coalition’s Trevor Evans has conceded defeat, announcing to his supporters that he will not retain the electorate of Brisbane, while the Greens are almost certain to win the seat of Ryan. Mr Evans told a group of supporters in Albion that it was not yet clear if Greens or Labor will prise the seat from the LNP. “It won’t be the LNP that holds it for at least the next three years,” Me Evans said.
Trevor Evans casts his vote.
Mr Evans said his loss in the inner-north seat of Brisbane follows a pattern of support in city seats abandoning the LNP, insisting the metropolitan voters rejected both major parties. He told supporters up to 10 incumbents appeared to have lost their inner city seats. “What's very, very clear is that both of Australia's major political parties have lost seats today, and they've lost primary votes, Mr Evans said. “And indeed, here in the state of Brisbane, it seems very clear, but while Brisbane will remain a marginal seat going forwards, it won't be the LNP that holds it for at least the next three years.” It remained too close to call which of Labor or the Greens would claim the seat of Brisbane but LNP insiders told The Courier-Mail they expected a more sophisticated postal voting campaign would prove decisive for Anthony Albanese claiming the crucial seat.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Watson-Brown is almost certain to defeat the Coalition's incumbent MP Julian Simmonds in the seat of Ryan. Mr Simmonds won 38 per cent of the primary vote ahead of Ms Watson-Brown's 30 per cent and Labor's Peter Cossar on 22 per cent. It is not expected Mr Cossar will catch Ms Watson-Brown to take second place, meaning a high percentage of Labor preferences will likely flow to the Greens and see the LNP defeated. The huge increase in the Green vote has come at the expense of Mr Simmonds, whose primary vote plummeted 11 per cent at this election following his victory in 2019. Labor had expected to win Ryan. The crowd went wild when a celebratory Greens candidate Elizabeth Watson-Brown said the seat of Ryan would help transform Queensland into "Greensland". She thanked her campaign team for helping her get to an "amazing position" in the election. "When I think of the dedication too, it's been a long day and a bloody long year," she said. "We're on the cusp of transforming Australian politics, and it's happening from Greensland. "I have never been prouder to be a Queenslander than tonight because we are showing the way. "
– James Hall, Hayden Johnson, Taylah Fellows
Griffith set to fall to the Greens
Edward.Randell
The biggest ground campaign in Australian Greens' history is set to secure the prize scalp of Griffith – a Brisbane seat once held by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Labor's Terri Butler is set to be defeated by Max Chandler-Mather, who has recorded a huge primary vote of 35.7 per cent. The Greens were confident of winning the seat and say they knocked on more than 30,000 doors during the campaign. Mr Chandler-Mather was the mastermind of the party's defeat of former Deputy Premier Jackie Trad in South Brisbane at 2020's state election. Ms Butler's primary vote fell by 2 per cent while the LNP suffered an 11.5 per cent collapse in support. The Greens' likely victory is a big blow to Labor, which had expected to hold the seat. Mr Rudd held the seat on a 53-47 basis over the LNP when he led the Labor Party to defeat in 2013. Since the 2013 election the Greens' support has more than tripled.
– Hayden Johnson
Labor staying upbeat in Dickson despite Dutton comeback
Edward.Randell
The atmosphere is buzzing at the Kallangur Memorial Bowls Club where excited Labor patrons including the Deputy Premier are waiting to see if Ali France will take the seat of Dickson from LNP's Peter Dutton. Ms France’s preferences soared to 48 per cent by 9pm, only slightly behind Dutton’s 51 per cent lead. She managed to gain a 0.2 per cent swing with the help of Greens candidate Vivinne Batten who holds a 14 per cent preferred vote. Ms France said she would be "delighted" to knock the senior Defence Minister off the seat which he has held for more than 20 years. "I've been told many times that it can't be done, that he's (Dutton) too popular, that he's got too much money, that he's too well -known," she said. "It's incredibly difficult to win this seat and I've always known that but I've always wanted to give it a go, and hopefully, maybe this time we'll get across the line but it's incredibly close." Deputy Premier Steven Miles was seen mingling with the jubilant crowd. He agreed the race for the seat of Dickson was still too close to call. But regardless of the Dickson seat outcome, Mr Miles said he was confident Labor would win the overall election. "We're getting reports that maybe we're doing a little bit better than some of the reporting," he said. "We've always said it was going to be really close and it obviously is. "Overall it looks like nationwide it will be a good outcome for Labor so we'll celebrate that regardless of what the seats see." Ms France said aged care, integrity and cost of living would be the main drivers that would lead her to victory.
– Taylah Fellows
Dutton fighting back
Under-pressure Defence Minister Peter Dutton has edged ahead of Labor's Ali France after a scare earlier in the night. On the two-candidate-preferred tally Mr Dutton leads Ms France on a 51-48 basis. Earlier in the evening Ms France was opening her margin and there were fears the LNP's most senior MP would be defeated. Still, it's going to be a tight contest. The LNP's primary vote has fallen 5.2 per cent while Labor has remained steady. The big surprise is the Greens, with the primary vote candidate Vinnie Batten rising 4.2 per cent to boost Labor's tally. It's still too close to call with 32 of 41 centres reporting first-preference votes. Just 26 of the 41 are reporting the critical preference count.
– Hayden Johnson
One Nation gets strong showing in Dawson
Edward.Randell
Dawson One Nation contender Julie Hall has nabbed a primary vote of some 14.5 per cent with two thirds of booths reporting. It is the largest showing among the minors but she nonetheless expressed disappointment she could not win the seat outright. “I felt I had a realistic chance,” she said, adding she was still proud of her effort to bring the issues she cares about to the public.
One Nation's Dawson candidate Julie Hall and One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts at the Coral Cay Motel in Mackay. Picture: Duncan Evans
Standing with One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts at the Coral Cay Motel in Mackay, Mrs Hall said she had “absolutely loved”campaigning. “You haven’t seen the last of me yet,” she said, though she would not reveal what she had in mind for the future. “I’m going to keep you hanging,” she said. “You just watch this space.” – Duncan Evans
Labor's Chalmers cruises to win
Edward.Randell
Labor's most senior Queensland MP Jim Chalmers has easily won his seat of Rankin and will take control of Australia's purse strings if Anthony Albanese is elected prime minister. Chalmers has defeated the LNP's Paul Darwen on a 59-41 two-candidate-preferred vote. The electorate of Rankin includes parts of Brisbane City Council and Logan. It has been won by Labor at every election since the seat's creation in 1984. Chalmers, Labor's Shadow Treasurer, will become treasurer if Labor wins the election.
Jim Chalmers at the post-election party at Logan Rec Club. Picture: Mark Cranitch
– Hayden Johnson
Labor strengthens hold on Lilley
Edward.Randell
Labor was in a strong position right from the starter's gun this evening in Lilley, the former stronghold of party stalwart Wayne Swan. The seat is held by Anika Wells by a little over 1000 votes, making it one of the most marginal in the country. But the luck has been against the LNP, with candidate Ryan Shaw pulling out just before February's floods hit after a year of campaigning, citing mental health issues. His replacement, Vivian Lobo, was caught up in a scandal involving his place of residence which he listed as being in the electorate despite doubts Mr Lobo actually lived there. Ms Wells said she was not calling the result, with more than 40 per cent of the electorate lodging postal or early votes. But she said there had been massive swings of up to 28 per cent against the LNP by 7.30pm in some booths, including McDowall South which is traditionally kind to the conservatives. "The protest vote is also going mainly to the Greens, which benefits Labor,'' Ms Well said. The Zillmere and CBD booths also returned strong pro-Labor results in early counting.
– Brendan O'Malley
Mixed news for Morrison in Queensland
Edward.Randell
It's more than two hours since polls closed and it's mixed news for Scott Morrison in Queensland. In the inner-city seats of Brisbane and Ryan his sitting MPs Trevor Evans and Julian Simmonds are in trouble at the hands of Labor and the Greens. North of the river in Brisbane Evans faces a tough task to hold the seat with either Labor's Madonna Jarrett or the Greens Stephen Bates set to win. In second place Labor leads the Greens by less than 200 votes. Over in Ryan Simmonds has suffered a huge 11 per cent fall in his primary vote while the Greens' Elizabeth Watson-Brown has jumped 9.8 per cent to catapult her into second spot. Like Brisbane, whoever finishes second between the Greens and Labor is likely to win. It's not only the government suffering at the hands of the Greens. Sitting Labor MP Terri Butler is in an uphill battle to hold off Max Chandler-Mather in the seat of Griffith – once held by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Butler sits in third behind Chandler-Mather for the Greens and Olivia Roberts for the LNP. Greens' Leader Adam Bandt has credited his party's Brisbane surge to the "strong people power campaign". Bandt said voters were becoming more concerned about the climate and cost of living pressures. "They've knocked on every door and had over 30,000 conversations," he said of the Brisbane campaign. The LNP's Warren Entsch looks likely to retain Leichhardt and Terry Young will keep Longman. In the Redlands the seat of Bowman, vacated by Andrew Laming, Henry Pike will retain the seat for the LNP. In Dawson Andrew Wilcox will hold the seat for the Coalition after the departure of George Christensen. Labor's Anika Wells will hold-off controversial LNP candidate Vivian Lobo to win the seat of Lilley. Lobo is the subject of an Australian Federal Police investigation over allegations he provided false information to the electoral commission. – Brendan O'Malley
Very early counting in the southside seat of Moreton showed the LNP's Steven Huang appeared to be in trouble.
On trends as at 8pm, it appeared as if the ALP would take the seat with 55 per cent of the vote, two party preferred, to the LNP's 45 per cent.
But Moreton recorded close to the highest number of postal votes in the country at about 20,000, as well as a huge number of pre poll votes.
Sitting ALP Member Graham Perrett said there appeared to be a significant swing to Labor, although he cautioned the numbers early this evening were from smaller booths such as HOlland Park (a shared booth), Eight Mile Plains, Oxley and Buranda.
"No pre-polls have been counted (as at 8pm) but this is a mix of booths good for us and ones that aren't,'' Mr Perrett said.
Mr Huang was a tough challenger, at least on paper, and the party held strong hopes he might pull off an upset.
He speaks Mandarin, a massive asset in an area with such a large Chinese-born population, and has been a long-term Brisbane City Councillor for the area.
But Mr Perrett also has a high profile after many years as the Member and has worked hard on the ethnic vote and grassroots campaigning, including massive walks through the electorate.
He said it was too close to call considering the large number of pre-poll and postal votes.
Two frontrunners have emerged in the race to replace Brisbane’s deputy mayor, Krista Adams, as council tries to quash rumours she is set to make a major new political move.
A campaigner with links to a climate change lobby will take on Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in his north Brisbane seat, the most marginal in Queensland, as the race to the federal election heats up.
