Australia Federal Election 2022: Rolling coverage as Maranoa goes to the polls

The race is run and National MP David Littleproud is set to retain his seat as Member for Maranoa. Here is what’s happening. FOLLOW THE ROLLING COVERAGE:

Welcome to News Corp’s rolling coverage of 2022 Federal Election for the Maranoa electorate.

The polls are now open and voters are braving the rain to cast their votes after six long weeks of campaigns.

9PM:

It was the safest seat that the Coalition held, with a margin of 25 per cent, but the Maranoa has been called for incumbent MP David Littleproud.

The Liberal party is currently on nearly 71 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote for the central Queensland electorate.

ALP’s Dave Kerrigan has accumulated 15.16 per cent of first preference votes ahead of One Nation’s Mike Kelly 12.67 per cent.

7PM:

First results for the Maranoa federal electorate have dropped and LNP’s David Littleproud has taken a flying lead.

Mr Littleproud is expected to retain the seat with just over 55 per cent of the first preferences, ahead of Labor candidate Dave Kerrigan on 13.84 per cent.

One Nation’s Mike Kelly holds 12.3 per cent of the vote while UAPP’s Nathan McDonald (8.51 per cent) leads Greens candidate Ellissa Parker (4.85 per cent), ASP’s Malcolm Richardson (4.17 per cent), and CYA’s Brett Tunbridge (1.22 per cent).

5PM:

Deputy Nationals leader David Littleproud has said being a “good bloke isn’t enough to be a good prime minister” when questioned on Anthony Albanese’s campaign leading up to Saturday’s election.

Regarding the Labor leaders inability to recall the unemployment rate during a press conference last month, Mr Littleproud said “with all due respect, they’re decent questions”.

“I know what the unemployment rate is. I know what the cash rate is because I pay it every month with my mortgage,” he said.

“If you want to be the prime minister you‘re expected to know that.”

Mr Littleproud joined Labor’s campaign ‘pin up’ Jason Clare, former ACT chief minister Senator Katy Gallagher, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, former Coalition star and Morrison Government’s first Defence Minister Christopher Pyne, and incumbent Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations Michaelia Cash on 7News political panel Saturday night.

4PM:

Incumbent Maranoa MP David Littleproud paid a visit to Warwick East State School on Saturday to cast his vote for the LNP and snag a sneaky democracy sausage.

Mr Littleproud is fighting to keep his seat against six other candidates for Maranoa.

1.30PM:

Nationals MP David Littleproud has called out Mike Kelly for spreading misinformation, saying “it is disappointing that minor parties would try and propagate lies to try and win votes. We should all be better than that.”

It is disappointing that minor parities would try and propagate lies to try and win votes. We should all be better than that.

Posted by David Littleproud MP on Friday, May 20, 2022

Taking to Facebook, the One Nation candidate posted a screenshot from Tweet accusing Mr Littleproud of claiming $22,000 in expenses for an 84km trip between Warwick and Toowoomba in Queensland.

AAP’s Fact Check debunked the post and clarified that the expenses claim covered six separate trips across regional Queensland and NSW.

10.20AM:

LNP lifetime members Colin and Lorraine Kiem rugged up under a canopy outside Taabinga State School to once again throw their support behind incumbent Maranoa MP David Littleproud.

“I’ve been doing this for about 40 years now. For every federal and state election,” Mr Kiem said.

“I’m pretty satisfied with the way the government’s going. I know the cost of living and housing is hurting a few people, but they’re not easy problems to solve.

“We’re in for a rough time over the next few years and we want a strong team to take us through them.”

Colin and Lorraine Kiem volunteering for the LNP. Holly Cormack

The former Yarraman dairy farmers said they were feeling optimistic about the outcome, with the electorate one of the LNP’s most reliable strongholds across the county.

Labor supporter and former teacher’s aide Leone Halliday said watching people struggle to make ends meet piqued her interest in politics.

“I want to support someone who will change things and I really believe Labor do care,” Ms Halliday said.

“I know this is a very strongly held Liberal seat, but I’m sick of seeing the lies. I just look at who I think is going to look after the most vulnerable in the community and it's usually Labor.

“Climate change would be my absolute number one, because everything is going to be affected by that. If you haven't got a sustainable climate, you have nothing.”

The 2022 federal election has been unprecedented, with more than a quarter of enrolled Australians sacrificing a democracy sausage on election day by voting early.

Mr Littleproud is the favourite to retain the seat over Labor’s Dave Kerrigan.

Still need to vote? You can track down your closest polling booths here: