Independent MP Rob Messenger loses his seat of Burnett
THE man who exposed killer surgeon Jayant Patel has been ousted from the central Queensland seat of Burnett by LNP candidate Stephen Bennett.
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THE man who exposed killer surgeon Jayant Patel has been ousted from the central Queensland seat of Burnett by LNP candidate Stephen Bennett.
Independent sitting MP Rob Messenger, who was elected as an LNP member in 2004 but defected in May 2010 after disagreements with the party executive, last night conceded defeat with a heavy heart.
He held just 23 per cent of the votes to Mr Bennett's 40 per cent with 60 per cent of the votes counted.
Mr Messenger, 49, said he held no regrets about his eight years in Parliament, or his decision to defect from the LNP.
"I can get up tomorrow morning and look in the mirror and like the person I look at," Mr Messenger said.
"If there's any fault or blame to be laid it's to be laid at my feet.
"Obviously the people of Burnett definitely wanted a change of government and they couldn't see that an Independent had a role in that government."
Mr Messenger, who campaigned vigorously over the problems of Bundaberg Hospital, said it was too early to say if the loss signalled the end of his political career, but the next few months would be a time for reflection.
Mr Bennett was awaiting clearance from LNP headquarters before he could talk to the media last night.
In Maryborough, sitting Independent Chris Foley was banking on preferences to put him over the line against the LNP's Anne Maddern.
There was less than 1 per cent of the vote between them last night with 21 out of 26 booths counted, but preferences were likely to decide the vote today and Mr Foley was confident of a win.
"It's close. There's just such a massive swing Queensland-wide," he said.
Maryborough was expected to be a very safe seat for Mr Foley before the election yesterday.
Meanwhile, long-serving Nicklin Independent Peter Wellington held on by the skin of his teeth last night, after he went neck-and-neck with former Wallabies coach turned LNP candidate John Connolly.
Mr Wellington, 54, held 38.79 per cent of the primary vote to Mr Connolly's 36.42 per cent, with more than 54 per cent of the vote counted.
"We were battling a party which has significant dollars and unlimited resources but I think the message is that people in my electorate weren't swayed by the LNP's campaign," Mr Wellington said.
The popular Independent has held the seat since 1998 but said the LNP put up a tough fight by selecting a high-profile candidate.
John "Knuckles" Connolly, 60, was a Queensland Reds Rugby Union coach for close to 10 years, before leaving for France and England then returning as Wallabies coach in 2006.
