Gold Coast seat of Currumbin could fall to Labor

The Gold Coast seat of Currumbin could fall to Labor for the first time in more than a decade after the shock resignation of long-time LNP MP Jann Stuckey.

CURRUMBIN could fall to Labor for the first time in 16 years as southern Gold Coasters look for a change after the shock resignation of long-time LNP representative Jann Stuckey.

A straw poll yesterday by The Courier-Mail of 100 voters in the picturesque electorate, which stretches from Elanora south to Coolangatta and west to Currumbin and Tallebudgera valleys, revealed the seat to be on a knife edge heading into an expected by-election.

Of the locals polled, 46 said they would vote LNP if a by-election were held today, and 43 Labor.

Ten said they would vote for the Greens, with one nominating One Nation.

Labor candidate for Currumbin, Kaylee Campradt, in her electorate and with her campaign truck. Picture Glenn Hampson

Currumbin has been a conservative seat for all but 12 years of its 34 year existence

Ms Stuckey, who cited mental health issues for her bombshell resignation nine months out from the state election, had held the seat since wresting it from disgraced Beattie Government Tourism and Racing Minister Merri Rose in 2004.

Ms Rose won the seat from the-then Liberal Party in 1992 but was sacked from Cabinet by Mr Beattie over a series of controversies, and later jailed for blackmailing him.

A Tourism Minister in the Newman Government, Ms Stuckey has been a divisive figure in her own party but was seen as a strong local member.

However, she suffered a swing against her at the last election which saw her 5.7 per cent margin reduced to 3.3 per cent.

With a latent Green tinge in Currumbin, Labor sees the seat as very winnable and is targeting it heavily to add to its sole Gold Coast seat of Gaven, snared by young party star Meaghan Scanlon at the last election.

While the LNP has yet to preselect a candidate – Ms Stuckey’s choice, lawyer Chris Crawford, was rejected by party powerbrokers late last year – Labor’s Kaylee Campradt has been on the hustings since October.

Long-serving Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey. Picture: David Clark

“Currumbin is going to be very tough for us to hold,” an LNP insider admitted yesterday.

Visiting the popular Palm Beach Parklands on the banks of Currumbin Estuary with her family yesterday, mother-of-two Katie O’Grady said her vote was already cast in stone.

“It’s sad that Jann has mental health health issues and good on her for taking time off to look after herself, but I’ll be voting Labor,” the 32-year-old Currumbin Waters local said.

“I just think they’re better at looking after everyday people, schools and hospitals.”

Water sports hire company worker Blake McMillan, 20, said he would be voting for either Labor or the Greens.

“Currumbin’s such a beautiful area and needs to be protected from overdevelopment like we’ve seen down at Palm Beach with all the high-rises that have sprung up on the highway,” he said.

Currumbin retiree Anita Darby, 75, said she was a lifelong LNP voter and would be voting conservative no matter who the candidate.

“I think the LNP are far superior when it comes to managing the economy,” she said.