LNP’s man beats latest challenge from high-profile Labor family

His brother tried and failed, and now Daniel Bevis has conceded defeat in The Gap ward at the hands of the LNP’s Steve Toomey.

The LNP’s Steve Toomey has won The Gap ward after defeating two brothers of a renowned Labor political family in two elections.

Daniel Bevis conceded defeat late on Wednesday night and has written to Cr Toomey to convey his best wishes.

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Mr Bevis said although only 65.4 per cent of the primary vote had been counted, and no preferences, it was unlikely he could win.

ABC analyst Antony Green put Cr Toomey on 57.2 per cent of the two-party preferred vote against 42.8 per cent for Mr Bevis.

“I can’t see the numbers changing substantially in any way,’’ Mr Bevis said.

“Green is predicting about a 40-45 per cent exhaustion rate (the percentage of minor party votes where preferences are not allocated).

“I suspect the Greens’ exhaustion rate to be slightly under 50 per cent, so Green is probably about right.

“In previous elections the exhaustion rate was about 40-60 per cent.’’

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If more Greens voters had allocated preferences, particularly putting Labor second, Mr Bevis would have been in with a fighting chance.

But the LNP rang a strong “Just Vote 1’’ campaign and the fact voters could not take how to vote cards into polling booths, because of coronavirus fears, probably also bumped up the number of people just marking one square on their ballot papers.

Cr Toomey said he was already back at work and his office was still open, albeit with reduced staff numbers, as he believed it was important to keep providing a service to the community.

He had been working hard over the past fortnight to understand how Council could better help residents, particularly local small businesses.

“We really need to support them at this time. They are big financial supports of our sporting clubs and employ many kids from our schools — my daughter has lost her job, for instance, so we’re all touched by this,’’ he said.

“We’ve got a western suburbs small business Facebook page (federal LNP MP for Ryan) Julian Simmonds has set up to let people know what businesses are still open.

“The bike shop opposite my office is still open, for instance, and the local coffee place now does wrapped lunches so you can come in, get your morning coffee and lunch at the same time.’’

Cr Toomey said he had not put too much stock in predictions based on the boundary redistribution of his ward and said the result reflected the upgrades that had been put in place in the area in the past four years.

“I ran a modest campaign. I only had two mail outs and did not produce a single new (election sign) — they were all recycled from 2016,’’ he said.

“It would have been hypocritical if I had produced a lot of waste given what I have been saying and doing.’’

Mr Bevis’ brother Shane secured a massive 15 per cent swing in 2016 against Cr Toomey in the councillor’s first tilt at the ward.

But this time Cr Toomey secured a substantial swing, clawing back lost ground, despite an Electoral Commission Queensland boundary redistribution which included traditionally Labor parts of the adjacent Enoggera ward.

QUT politics expert John Mickel, a former state Labor Speaker, had called the ward one to watch because of the redistribution, and because of the Bevis family’s long experience in campaigning.

Mr Bevis, who campaigned on a new library for the ward and who was critical of Council roadworks on Waterworks Rd, was philosophical about his loss.

“We should all be proud to live in such a stable democracy. If running and losing is the worst that happens to you, it’s a small price to pay to live in such a great democracy,’’ he said.

“I became a teacher to do good and that desire hasn’t changed, it’s why I ran.’’

He did not rule out running again, but said four years was a long way off and it was up to the Labor Party to decide who might be preselected for the 2024 election.