Queensland election results 2017: Labor to claim victory after Tim Nicholls concedes
ALMOST two weeks after Queensland went to the polls, Labor is today expected to claim victory in the state election – right after Tim Nicholls makes his long-awaited concession speech.
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ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk is today expected to claim victory in the state election – almost two weeks after Queenslanders went to the polls.
It is expected to come after LNP Leader Tim Nicholls makes his long-awaited concession speech, with the party insisting all key seats need to be declared before they would accept election defeat.
His reluctance to concede in the face of certain Labor victory has drawn criticism from Labor and within his own ranks, prolonging almost two weeks of political uncertainty.
Townsville MP Scott Stewart, who saw off a challenge from the LNP to narrowly hold his North Queensland seat for Labor, said it was time for Mr Nicholls to concede.
“I think Tim Nicholls should stand up, make that phone call and concede today,” he said yesterday after the ECQ officially declared he had won the seat.
Several LNP MPs yesterday told The Courier-Mail they were frustrated with the party’s decision not to concede, given they had no way of forming government themselves with the 39 seats the LNP is expected to hold.
“The writing is on the wall,” one MP told The Courier-Mail.
“We just need to get on with it,” said another.
Labor yesterday secured its 48th seat in Townsville to confirm its majority Government win, with the LNP on track to pick up just 39 seats in the 93-seat house – two less than it held before the November 25 election.
A spokesman for the LNP Leader insisted that official results were needed in the north Queensland seats of Mundingburra and Thuringowa before Mr Nicholls would concede.
In his concession speech today, the LNP Leader is expected to make a likely statement about his political future. The LNP will then hold its party room meeting on Tuesday to decide who will lead it from the Opposition benches for the next term.
Tim Mander, Deb Frecklington, John-Paul Langbroek and David Crisafulli remain the frontrunners to take over the LNP leadership from Mr Nicholls.
MPs have so far held two teleconferences ahead of Tuesday’s party room meeting, but are yet to hold any official leadership discussions.
Labor is expected to hold a caucus meeting on Sunday or Monday to decide its new ministry, with Deputy Premier Jackie Trad remaining on track to add the Treasury portfolio to her title.
Health Minister Cameron Dick is also expected to take on an economic portfolio, while current Treasurer Curtis Pitt could be in line for the Speaker’s role.
Several others change are expected.
It comes as the ECQ yesterday declared the majority of the state’s 93 seats, with about 84 declared as of last night. It is expected to declare the remaining seats, including Mundingburra and Thuringowa, today.
One Nation officially won the central Queensland seat of Mirani, with The Greens making history after wresting the seat of Maiwar from the LNP’s Scott Emerson.
The Katter’s Australian Party have three seats, while Independent Sandra Bolton will round out the crossbench after winning the seta of Noosa from the LNP.
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