Jackie Trad loses South Brisbane after Greens’ surge
Once Queensland’s most powerful political player, Jackie Trad’s eight-year career has come crashing down at the hands of the Greens, who not only won her South Brisbane seat, but also put another of Labor’s most prominent players through the wringer. HOW IT UNFOLDED
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Jackie Trad’s controversial political career is over following a decisive defeat by Greens’ conqueror Amy MacMahon.
Ms Trad, Labor’s polarising former Deputy Premier and Treasurer, lost her seat of South Brisbane after a surge in support for the Greens.
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Ms MacMahon secured 55 per cent of the preference count compared to 44 per cent for Ms Trad with about half of the votes counted.
The LNP’s controversial move to preference the Greens is likely to extend their lead and deliver a fatal blow to Ms Trad’s political career.
The Greens recorded a significant swing within the inner-city seats of South Brisbane, McConnell, Cooper and Maiwar – however its statewide vote appears unchanged.
Ms MacMahon led the South Brisbane count throughout the night, recording a 10 per cent swing to the Greens.
She described her campaign win over Ms Trad, a Queensland political giant, as “unbelievable”.
“I feel so lucky to have this opportunity to fight for the people of South Brisbane and fight for the people of Queensland,” she said.
“This is the culmination of the last six months and a number of years of hard work.”
Outgoing South Brisbane MP Ms Trad kept a low profile throughout the night, entering her election party at the Souths Leagues Club through the rear door before thanking and commiserating with supporters.
Ms Trad narrowly fought off a Greens’ attack in 2017 however this time she was unable to hold off a second surge which was boosted by the preference of LNP candidate Clem Grahen.
One Nation’s Rosalie Taxis secured 1.5 per cent of the first-preference vote ahead of the United Australia Party’s Marcus Thorne on 0.5 per cent.
Tensions were high at polling booths throughout South Brisbane on election day with reports
of heated arguments between the Labor and Green campaigns at Dutton Park and Buranda and claims of sign theft by the LNP.
A steady stream of voters filtered through the polling booths throughout the day despite 10,000 people, about one-quarter of the electorate, voting early.
The unexpected Greens’ victory puts an end to the most polarising Queensland political career in recent memory.
Ms Trad, who won South Brisbane in a 2012 by-election after the resignation of Anna Bligh, was for years Labor’s most powerful personality.
In the most recent Parliamentary term Ms Trad was forced to defend a string of corruption allegations which ultimately forced her resignation as deputy premier and treasurer in May – however she was later cleared of criminal wrongdoing.
Ms Trad’s reputation as an effective head kicker dominated headlines and led to claims she was calling the shots within the Palaszczuk Government.
Labor acknowledged it would be tough to hold the seat and Ms Trad earlier described the election campaign as “the fight of my political life”.
Her defeat will remove a prickly issue for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who was peppered with questions during the campaign about whether Ms Trad would return to Cabinet.
Meanwhile, in McConnell, Labor heavyweight Grace Grace has defended her inner-city seat despite a 1.1 per cent swing to the Greens.
The Education and Industrial Relations Minister recorded 61 per cent of the preference vote ahead of LNP challenger Pinky Singh on 39 per cent.
A 1.1 per cent swing to Greens’ candidate Kirsten Lovejoy was not enough for her to overtake the LNP and threaten Ms Grace.
Ms Grace acknowledged the race remained “tight” but expected she would be victorious.
“I’ve always said it depends on where we land and how preferences are distributed,” she said.
“It’s going to be the Greens’ preferences that are going to get me over the line.
“This campaign was tough.”
Ms Grace appeared to be in trouble early in the count after trailing The Greens, however, a significant number of postal votes fell her way.
In Maiwar Queensland’s first Greens MP, Michael Berkman, has been comfortably re-elected.
Mr Berkman is expected to secure about 57 per cent of the two-party preferred vote ahead of LNP fighter and former television journalist Lauren Day.
Labor’s Palani Thevar finished third with 18 per cent of the first-preference vote.
He said the outcome was decided on a handful of key issues including overdevelopment, political corruption, climate change, job creation, public transport and traffic.
Mr Berkman, who recorded a 5.6 per cent swing to The Greens, said the victory was a result of the party’s largest campaign in Queensland history.
“We have run an enormous campaign here,” he said.
“We made no assumption about the outcome. It recognises how much people appreciate
genuine grassroots representation.
In the electorate of Cooper, which covers Brisbane’s inner-west suburbs, Labor’s Jonty Bush was victorious with a 1 per cent swing to the government.
Ms Bush, replacing retiring Labor Minister Kate Jones, recorded 61 per cent of the two-party preferred vote ahead of the LNP’s Trent Wiseman.
Greens’ candidate Katinka Winston-Allom finished third with a staggering 10 per cent swing towards her.