Toowoomba’s Groom MP Garth Hamilton launches election campaign as new group hopes to win over Liberal voters

Toowoomba might be one of the “most uninteresting” seats in the upcoming federal election, but a political expert says one candidate could cause some headaches for the LNP.

The performance of Toowoomba’s Voices of Groom candidate will be a development to watch in the upcoming federal election, according to a leading expert.

The University of Southern Queensland’s Honorary Professor Geoff Cockfield says Suzie Holt’s campaign has the potential to pull votes away from LNP incumbent Garth Hamilton.

It is the latest “Voices” movement to pop up in federal electorates across the country, which has already delivered independent candidates to seats in Victoria and New South Wales.

Ms Holt, who co-founded the group, won their endorsement late last year ahead of fellow independent Kirstie Smolenski.

She is campaigning on climate change action, securing better infrastructure and services for Toowoomba and promoting renewal energy projects.

Prof Cockfield said the local movement was indicative of similar trends in seats Indi and Warringah, where socially-progressive upper-middle class Liberal voters rejected the party in favour of electing independents.

The University of Southern Queensland’s Honorary Professor Geoff Cockfield.

“You’re looking at the small ‘l’ liberal end, not feeling very represented and concerned by the rightward movements of the Liberal party,” he said.

“Almost exclusively, the candidates are women too.

“We’re looking at people who are relatively free market and supportive of social freedoms but extending it to environmental matters.”

But Prof Cockfield was still muted on Ms Holt’s chances in 2022, considering the safe-seat status of Groom and how preferences flowed.

“The seats of Maranoa and Groom are probably some of the least interesting seats in the election,” he said.

“The things that might be of interest for Groom would be whether the Voices candidate can make any inroads.

“It’s a long way off being a player in the ultimate outcome, we might get a surprise — a good showing would matter into the future.

“Estimating the preference flows of recent or unknown candidates is very difficult, who did they shift their vote from to vote for them?

“(Voices voters) express their dissatisfaction in other ways, not by voting for Labor.”

Prof Cockfield was also unsure how much impact the populist candidates from United Australia Party and One Nation would have in Groom.

“Essentially, UAP is a one-track party — they don’t appear to be putting much forward and it’s very vaguely expressed,” he said.

“They’ll do OK relative to what they have done before, I just can’t see them going anywhere.”

LOCAL MP LAUNCHES ELECTION CAMPAIGN (APRIL 13)

Toowoomba’s federal MP Garth Hamilton has used his election campaign launch to double-down on his promise to increase the defence industry and ensure the city benefits from the massive Inland Rail project.

The rookie MP’s first full campaign kicked off at the Mills Precinct on Wednesday April 13, surrounded by loyalists, friends, family and several notable businessmen and property developers.

Senators Matt Canavan and Amanda Stoker were key guests as part of their own re-election efforts, with the latter reportedly in danger of losing her spot in the Senate amid several high-profile right-leaning candidates.

Mr Hamilton pointed to inclusion of the Railway Parklands project in the SEQ City Deal as a key achievements from his first 18 months in office.

LNP's member for Groom Garth Hamilton with his wife Louise at the launch of his 2022 election campaign at the Mills Precinct in Toowoomba.

However, he was tight-lipped on any further project promises in a safe conservative seat unlikely to earn much national attention.

“We’ve seen that through the Railway Parklands project we’re going to double our defence industry over the next 10 years, and we’re going to make sure we get everything we can from Inland Rail to secure Toowoomba as the hub for southeast Queensland,” Mr Hamilton said.

“It’s only day three of the election, we’ve got a long way to go yet so there are plenty of things we’ll talk about.

“Clearly what’s on the agenda is continuing Toowoomba’s growth and investing in the areas we need to invest in – road, rail and water infrastructure.

“It’s a very clear choice that we’re presenting to the people of Toowoomba of an LNP who have a plan for this region and are delivering on this plan.”

Mr Hamilton’s ALP opponent Gen Allpass said he had exaggerated the role he played in the delivery of the Railway Parklands.

“There are a lot of people who contributed to that project over 30 years, it wasn’t just Garth who did that,” she said.

Mr Hamilton, who has been hesitant to even utter the names of other candidates, appeared to bristle at being asked about the threat posed by the Voices of Groom movement and their candidate Suzie Holt.

Political experts like the University of Southern Queensland’s Professor Geoff Cockfield said the group stood to gain disaffected LNP voters, something Mr Hamilton disagreed with.

LNP's member for Groom Garth Hamilton at the launch of his 2022 election campaign at the Mills Precinct in Toowoomba.

“I’m very clear that the choice we have here is either an LNP government or a Labor government, there’s going to be a LNP member here or a Labor member here, that’s the challenge we have in Groom,” he said.

“We’ll be working hard for every single vote, regardless of who I’m up against.

“Every campaign is tough and hard, I’ve just got to focus on what I can do in my campaign and that’s where my focus is.”

Senator Canavan, who used to live in Toowoomba, backed Mr Hamilton, saying he had advocated for the region while in Canberra.

“Garth’s a goer in Canberra – he’s only been here for 18 months, but he’s already contributed to national debates, supported local infrastructure projects, and I know he’s got a good vision going forward,” he said.

“Garth’s got a plan and the go-forward to make it happen in Canberra.”

Independent Groom candidate Suzie Holt

INDEPENDENT SAYS LIBERAL VOTERS LEAVING THE PARTY

Toowoomba’s Voices of Groom candidate says her election campaign is pulling in a significant number of former LNP voters, who she says are concerned with the party’s current local position.

Independent Suzie Holt, who co-founded the group, is one of dozens of the candidates across Australia at the upcoming election who are part of the “Voices” movement.

While each group’s positions and issues vary depending on the local electorate, the movement has naturally overlapped on matters like climate change, infrastructure spending and social issues.

Ms Holt, who says she has never been a member of the Liberal Party but was involved in the 2020 preselection process, said a significant chunk of supporters had turned their backs on the LNP in favour of a new approach.

“From the word go, our goal was to bring all people into the centre of politics,” she said.

“Certainly from the campaign perspective, we are attracting people who feel disengaged with the major parties.

“We are attracting ‘small L’ liberals because they want better representation from Groom.

“I have been quite concerned with where the Liberal Party was moving, and I don’t feel it represents the majority of people in our community.

“We’re not aligning ourselves with what’s happening nationally, this is a local campaign on local issues.”

Ms Holt said she wouldn’t be instructing supporters on preferences, saying she would let people decide for themselves.

When asked about the possibility that many of her votes would end up flowing to the LNP’s Garth Hamilton eventually, Ms Holt said she wasn’t interested in just making the safe seat marginal.

“I would welcome the opportunity to be the member for Groom, (but) if we could make the seat marginal, we could create more infrastructure investment,” she said.

“I would ask voters if they’re ready for a change, they could vote for me and send a message to the Liberal Party that they want change.

“People are tired of divisive politics, so they’re looking for someone in the centre who is a safe pair of hands.”