Federal election 2022: Anthony Albanese confident Matt Burnett will win Flynn during Gladstone visit

During a visit to Gladstone, Mr Albanese said his call to have Mayor Matt Burnett run for the seat of Flynn was the right one, declaring “he will win Flynn”. But it didn’t go down well with LNP candidate Colin Boyce.

Anthony Albanese declared Labor will win the seat of Flynn after revealing he personally asked Mayor Matt Burnett to run because “local champions make a difference”.

During a campaign stop to the Northern Oil Refinery at Yarwun in Gladstone, the Opposition leader likened the Gladstone mayor – who has sat on the council for 22 years – to Eden Monaro MP, Kristy McBain after she made the successful switch from local to federal politics.

Mr Albanese said he has seen the difference local figures made in elections because of their relationship with the region.

Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese visited the Northern Oil Refinery at Yarwun in Gladstone alongside Flynn candidate Matt Burnett. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“This bloke here, Matt Burnett, I personally asked to run … why did I do that? because I know local champions make a difference,” Mr Albanese said.

“He’ll win Flynn, because he’s so connected and embedded in the community.”

Mr Albanese said that during a previous meeting in Gladstone with community leaders he spoke with locals who had previously worked on LNP campaigns but were “backing this bloke” instead.

Mr Albanese was also joined by Labor MP Ed Husic and Senator Murray Watt during the visit to make an announcement on Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“This guy is the Queensland equivalent of Kristy McBain, the champion of Eden Monaro.”

It comes as The Observer profiled all seven Flynn candidates ahead of pre-poll voting opening earlier this week.

The Labor campaign stopped in the large Central Queensland electorate of Flynn to make an announcement on battery manufacturing in Australia.

The plan would see a future Albanese government partner with the state government to create a Battery Manufacturing Precinct in Queensland backed by $100m of federal funding.

Labor’s Australian Made Battery Plan would be part of a move to support 10,000 ‘new energy’ apprenticeships, including two thousand in Queensland.

LNP candidate for Flynn, Colin Boyce took exception to Mr Albanese’s prediction, however, labelling his comments as ‘arrogant’.

“Anthony Albanese jetted into Gladstone today to declare Labor would win Flynn,” Mr Boyce said.

“This is the arrogance of Labor on full display, disrespecting the voters of Flynn and treating them like mugs,” he said.