Ex-Sunrise reporter officially launches bid to unseat Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon

The race for the seat of Gaven is heating up as former Sunrise reporter Bianca Stone’s election campaign officially began with a subtle shot at Meaghan Scanlon, who returned fire shortly after.

TV reporter Bianca Stone who has been preselected as the LNP candidate for the seat of Gaven on the Gold Coast ahead of the October state election. Picture: Instagram

Former Sunrise reporter Bianca Stone’s campaign to unseat Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon is officially underway.

Four days after she was endorsed as the LNP candidate for Ms Scanlon’s Gold Coast seat of Gaven, Ms Stone has unveiled her election campaign Facebook page and made her first post.

She used “Thank a First Responder Day” to launch the page with a picture of her standing next to her senior police officer husband, Detective Inspector Mark Mooney, and Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski.

Bianca Stone with husband Mark Mooney and Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski

Soon after, Ms Scanlon responded to her opponent’s Facebook post with a subtle “cop this”, posting an old photo of her father, Phil, being sworn in as a Queensland police officer.

“He, like so many, put his life on the line to keep our community safe,” Ms Scanlon wrote.

“That’s why we are boosting the frontline with more boots on the ground. In fact, the Queensland Police Academy is full - with the largest number of recruits on record.

“On this day each year, we thank all first responders, past and present, and their families.

“Your dedication keeps our communities safe, and we are deeply grateful.”

Meaghan Scanlon’s father Phil being sworn in to the QPS.

Ms Stone nominated crime as a major election issue after overwhelmingly winning LNP endorsement for Gaven at the weekend.

She convincingly beat Gaven LNP branch secretary Lisa Smith and fellow long-time conservative party member Kirsten Jackson to win the preselection contest.

LNP sources had described Ms Stone as opposition leader David Crisafulli’s “captain’s pick” while Ms Scanlon said her opponent had been “parachuted in”.

Ms Stone, who also nominated cost of living and traffic as major issues, said Ms Scanlon was “very visible” in Gaven and would be a “formidable opponent”.

“But basically this electorate has been ignored for far too long,” she said.

“I believe that Meaghan Scanlon has been busy doing other things and has ignored this electorate.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon, and Premier Steven Miles, Deputy Premier and Treasurer Cameron Dick. Photo: Steve Pohlner

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Bianca Stone’s new Facebook page

“People in this community want a voice, they want someone who will ask the tough questions, they want someone who will stand up for them – and I will stand up for the people in this community.”

Ms Scanlon is the only Gold Coast Labor MP. She won Gaven from the LNP in 2017 to become Queensland’s youngest-ever female MP, gaining a 7 per cent swing at the 2020 election and holding the seat with a 7.8 per cent margin.

Ms Stone said it would “no doubt be a difficult task” to win the seat “and I will not be taking it lightly”.

“There are 20 weeks until the state election and I’ll be working on the ground every day,” she said at the weekend.