State election early voting centres across Townsville show LNP winning early favour

There have been mixed reactions to Steven Miles’ $1.4bn free lunch policy for school children in North Queensland, as early voters swing towards LNP.

The first voters across North Queensland have shown their distaste for Labor, with a clear sentiment on the first morning at the polling booth that the party has been in government too long.

Fifty-two per cent of voters at the Greenwood Park Sporting Complex polling booth within the first half-hour after the booths opened indicated a clear preference towards LNP, while there was a 9.5 per cent preference for Labor.

Although 33 per cent of voters walking out the polling booth preferred not to say who they voted for, some gave indication of “anything but Labor” while there was also some disillusionment for the promises of major parties.

>> NQ ELECTION GUIDE: Candidates + early voting centres

Crime was the pressing issue for early voters, many who believed the Labor government had not done enough to address the issue.

‘Lunch for the little criminals?’

Kirwan retiree Robert Srejic said he voted LNP at the pre-poll booth in Thuringowa, believing that neither Premier Steven Miles nor his predecessor Annastacia Palaszczuk had properly responded to crime in his community.

He was unimpressed with the Labor Government’s $1.4bn free lunch policy for school children, especially after watching three young people try to break into his car when he had visited the local dog park.

“Big deal, what’s that going to do?” Mr Srejic said.

“Free lunch for the little criminals?”

“I’d rather see more penalties for these young ones, the magistrates should be ordered to dish out harsher penalties.”

He said although the government had removed detention as a last resort, magistrates should not be given the discretion to sentence softer punishments.

Premier Steven Miles holds his party launch at the North Lakes Community Centre. Premier Miles makes a sandwich with his daughter Bridie 10 on stage. Pics Adam Head

But Deeragun retiree Monica Foley said the free lunch policy was a “very good idea” because it would address a clear need in her neighbourhood.

“When I go shopping I see all the kids heading out of school and they head off (to) Maccas or any one of the places around there to get food,” she said.

“So they must be hungry and I think they mustn’t have taken any lunch, so it would probably be a very good idea if they had a really good lunch at school.”

Aitkenvale resident Jenni Lawson said she agreed with the announcement on Monday morning of Labor’s pledge for free lunches for Queensland state primary school students.

“It’s a great idea,” she said.

“I don’t have young kids, but I have grandkids and the cost of living is making things hard.”

“Kids at school should have a full tummy.”

Labor’s incumbent Aaron Harper, LNP candidate Natalie Marr, and KAP candidate Reuben Richardson were at Greenwood Park before one of their major booths opened with a priority of handing how-to-vote cards in the aim of convincing voters last minute.

Mundingburra candidates Les Walker, Janelle Poole and Michael Pugh meet with early voters on October 14. Photo: Daniel Shirkie.

‘Abortion issue changed my vote’

A North Queensland woman says the LNP’s failure to address questions surrounding abortion laws led her to change her vote at the last minute.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, told reporters she decided against voting for the LNP after Leader David Crisafulli and candidates would no reveal the details on their plans around abortion laws and a party conscience vote.

“I don’t want people telling women what to do with their bodies,” she said.

For Michael Luke of Annandale, crime and cost of living were two two major issues that decided his vote, as he attended the first day of early voting at Aitkenvale PCYC Townsville.

Choosing to vote for the LNP, he said having lived in Townsville for two years the youth crime issue had “become apparent”.

“Janelle has experience as a police officer so she understands those systems,” he said.

“Actions speak louder than words.”

Kirwan resident Sandra Callaghan said she is typically a Labor voter but she was swinging to an LNP vote because she liked David Crisafulli and because she believed not enough had been done to address crime.

Sandra Callaghan, Kirwan, said she was typically a Labor voter who would be voting for LNP’s Natalie Marr instead, believing not enough had been done to address youth crime.

She was willing to give LNP leader David Crisafulli a chance, but warned that if he did not follow through with his promises she would not support him again.

“I think we need a change because nothing’s getting done with Labor,” she said.

“(Labor) says one thing, does another.

“I hope they don’t get in, we definitely need a change.”

Patriots Military Motorcycle Club national president David ‘Big Ted’ McHenry stopped through with other members before beginning a roadtrip to their national meeting in Victoria, with all of them showing support for the LNP.

Patriots Military Motorcycle Club state president Buck Rogers and national president David ‘Big Ted’ McHenry stopped to vote before they rode to Victoria for their national meeting. They said it was time to hand the government over to the LNP. They vote at the Greenwood Park Sporting Complex in Thuringowa.

Mr McHenry said there had been enough time since the controversial policies of the Newman Government, which was defeated in 2015.

“The Labor Party’s had Queensland for the last three decades except Campbell Newman’s little stint and everything we’ve got now is a direct result of what they’ve done,” he said.

“So I think it’s about time we give someone else a chance to see if they can fix some of the issues.”

Thuringowa retiree Rob Barbagallo said “everyone’s had enough”, believing the LNP had more to offer in response to youth crime, but he said cost-of-living was also important too.

He was traditionally an LNP voter, with the exception of the 2015 election when he was concerned with the Newman Government’s policies.

But he had forgiven the LNP.

“I think they’ve learned off that, we hope, but they’ve been in for too long, the Labor.

“But the main thing like I said is the youth crime, they’ve got to hit that on the head, because it’s just getting out of hand.

“Nothing happens to them, and yet they’re causing all this grief for everyone, and you’ve got to live in your home as a prisoner.

“It’s just got to come to an end or something worse happens.”

Voters queue at the prepolling booth at Greenwood Park Sporting Complex in Thuringowa just as it opens.

Nathan O’Donnell, from Heatley, was the first voter at the prepolling booth on his way to work.

He would not have time throughout the week to vote so he wanted it done as soon as possible, but with minutes until he stepped in the booth he did not know who he would vote for.

Mr O’Donnell wanted an improvement in the justice system with harder penalties for criminals.

“Once we get the crime rate sorted and get everything sorted with the crime, then we should be fine,” Mr O’Donnell said.

Meanwhile a small crew of keen voters lined up at PCYC Townsville in Aitkenvale on Monday morning as the polling booths opened for early voting, ahead of election day on October 26.

One of the first voters in the doors, Richard from Mundingburra, said he came just before 8am to “get it over with”, noting that the issue of crime in Townsville was the deciding factor.

“I’ve been deciding on who to vote for a while, but ended up siding with the LNP,” he said.

Of 22 people who responded to a Townsville Bulletin exit poll at the Aitkenvale booth, nine said they chose the LNP, five voted for Labor, seven decided on the KAP and one person said they chose to vote for One Nation.

Candidates’ final messages

Labor’s incumbent MP Aaron Harper said he needed to ensure voters understood that the government already had removed youth detention as a last resort through the Community Safety Bill, which made the LNP’s promise to do so redundant.

He also believed that fears of criminalising abortion and overturning voluntary assisted dying would also be a factor in the election.

Thuringowa incumbent Labor MP Aaron Harper at the Greenwood Park Sporting Complex on the first morning of prepolling.

Mr Harper also warned enrolled voters not to repeat the same mistakes of the local government election in March, in which Mayor Troy Thompson defeated Jenny Hill after misrepresenting himself.

More than 30,000 people enrolled did not show up to vote, which would have shaped the outcome.

“It’s that democratic thing we do in this country, is have your say, then you can’t whinge about it later,” Mr Harper said.

“Make sure you have your vote and number every box.”

LNP candidate Natalie Marr said crime had been a significant issue in the 2020 election.

“But the thing that has changed is it’s far worse than 2020,” she said.

Ms Marr wanted to be at prepolling booths from “daylight till dark” to make sure she could speak to every voter that she could.

“I love meeting all the people coming in that you door knocked, they always mention to you that you knocked on my door,” she said.

‘So it’s a great day and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Labor volunteers Jim Wilson and Paul Zohn with member for Mundingburra Les Walker at the PCYC Aitkenvale early voting centre.

Handing out how-to-vote cards with his team in Aitkenvale, Labor member for Mundingburra Les Walker said it was “a bit slow and wet” following overnight rain in Townsville, but said the feeling was good among his team.

“It’s good to be here on day one and see how the set up works,” Mr Harper said.

“I also go out chatting, I’ve done that for 20 odd years. It’s very important to be in touch and people like to see us at the polling booth.”

LNP candidate Janelle Poole and her team of campaign volunteers were also on site handing out cards and speaking with voters.

“Pre-poll Monday, nice early start. People are coming in and it shows that this election is probably one of the most important elections in a long, long time,” she said.

“People want to have their say and they want a fresh start for Queensland, they want that opportunity for change. Me being here, I just absolutely love talking to people and hearing their stories.”

LNP candidate for Mundingburra Janelle Poole with volunteer Gaynor Byrne at the PCYC Aitkenvale early voting centre.

Ms Poole said many voters were speaking to her on key issues such as crime, cost of living, health and housing.

“It’s about listening to your community, hearing your community and that’s what I’ve got from doorknocking thousands of doors. Making people feel that they have been heard,” she said.

KAP for candidate for KAP Michael Pugh came the previous night to set up their campaign tent with his team of volunteers and said it had been a ‘positive morning’.

“It’s been a long slog over the last 12 months, but here we are. We are reaching the end, it’s very near,” he said.

“Heaps of support and there has been a very positive response from the community out here in Mundingburra.”

“It’s vitally important and I’ve engaged over 50 volunteers to help me over the next few weeks.”

Mr Pugh said he was hearing ‘time and time again’ of people’s support for KAP’s Castle Law and Bush Sentencing.

“People don’t feel safe in their homes at the moment and that’s something that’s really got to change,” he said.

Katters gain traction

Of the early voters at the West End pre-polling centre, 17% said they voted for Katter’s Australian Party.

“I voted Labor all my life but these fellas here haven’t done much and with old Palaszczuk gone, she really set the trend for everything,” one voter told the Bulletin.

“I don’t hate the Labor Party. I still love them but it’s like the council … I voted for Troy Thompson, and I regret now voting for him because that Thompson is no good. I always voted for Jenny Hill but I thought I’d give it a change.

Mundingburra candidate Michael Pugh meets with early voters on October 14. Photo: Daniel Shirkie.

“I’ve never voted for the Katter party before … I am sick to death of people talking and talking and talking and talking, keeping the salary and doing nothing with it. It’s not good enough.”

Another voter, who wished to remain anonymous, said they voted for the LNP.

“I’m on the conservative side of politics … if you’re going to change things, make it happen. I think that we have a real crime issue across the country and I think laws are not being enforced as they should be … people can see straight through that,” the voter said.

“I voted Liberal because Scott Stewart has done absolutely zero, zip for the city and they’ll go down to advertise what they’ve got, ‘we’ve got you free registration, we’ve got you lower power’ all of Queensland got that. It’s not specific to Townsville and we need that to change.”

One voter told the Bulletin that the LNP had not done enough to get their vote.

“I would have voted for the liberal party but because of Crisafulli I didn’t,” the voter said. “He’s been mumbling and bumbling and I don’t think he knows what he wants to do. He’s playing the game from both sides. He hasn’t made a real decision on his attitude towards abortion and I think that’s a bit sneaky.”