Peter Dutton's surprise win over Labor’s Ali France in the seat of Dickson puts him in a powerful position

DES HOUGHTON: Peter Dutton overcame rancorous personal attacks and threats to his family to win the seat of Dickson. He now joins Prime Minister Scott Morison’s inner circle.

MY fellow Australians. May I tell you how proud I was of the way you rejected Bill Shorten’s Labor, and sent GetUp and the Green-Left packing?

The vote against the ALP’s tax rort plan was also a protest against the failures of Palaszczuk government to deliver vital services.

I was especially happy with the outcome in the seat of Dickson where there were rancorous personal attacks against Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton, and cowardly threats to his family.

Dutton is an authority figure the Left would love to tear down. He stopped the boats, secured our borders and sent foreign criminals packing.

His important ministry has oversight of ASIO, the Australian Federal Police and Border Force _ and counter-terrorism measures.

Dutton’s defeat would have been a savage blow to the Morrison government.

Yet the more mud Labor and their allies threw at Peter Dutton, the more people voted for him.

His win means he can resume his seat within Morrison’s elite power circle alongside Josh Frydenberg, Christian Porter, Greg Hunt and Mathias Cormann.

He easily defeated Labor opponent Ali France.

Dutton’s win was especially comprehensive when you consider he trounced Labor in the battlers’ backyards at Kallangur, and only narrowly lost in the Labor stronghold of Lawnton.

Dutton won every booth in Albany Creek.

He even beat France in Petrie, Warner and Chermside booths.

Dutton also trounced Labor at Northlakes and was slightly ahead in Ferny Grove.

As expected, he comfortably won the battle in up-market Samford, winning all three booths.

In rural Dayboro he more than doubled Labor’s vote.

Meanwhile, an extraordinary Senate battle is underway.

Queensland now get will get two, and possible three new conservative Senators, with Labor at this stage certain of only one.

Susan McDonald, the daughter of central Queensland beef pioneers, and Paul Scarr a lawyer and former mining executive from Chelmer will be in the new Parliament.

They may be joined by Gerard Rennick, a financier and the son of Chinchilla farmers, who may have to wait three weeks before he knows if he has won a spot.

Scarr’s message to anti-Queensland forces from interstate:

“Don’t tell us what to think or how to live our lives.”

He said the three LNP candidates had a total of 75 years’ experience in the private sector.

“We know how to run a business, we know how to sustain a business, we know how to give opportunities for young people seeking a job.”