QLD state election 2024: Voting results for Nanango and Gympie
Former LNP leader Deb Frecklington looks like being returned to her safe seat Nanango for a fifth term with a 4 per cent swing to the LNP in Nanango and 34.22 per cent of the vote counted. The LNP has been called winner in Gympie. Here are the latest numbers in our free read: VIDEOS, PHOTOS
QLD Votes
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FORMER LNP leader Deb Frecklington looks like being returned to her safe seat Nanango for a fifth term with a 4 per cent swing to the LNP in Nanango and 34.22 per cent of the vote counted.
Sky News called the seat of Gympie for the LNP and Tony Perrett at 7.30pm with 24.62 per cent of the Gympie votes counted and Mr Perrett ahead with 41.7 per cent (5454 votes) of the votes; his nearest contender Katy McCallum for One Nation is on 3274 votes, and Lachlan Anderson for the ALP on 3220 votes.
Ms Frecklington has held Nanango since 2012, a career that included a stint as leader of the opposition, challenging former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for the top job at the 2020 election.
With a win looking likely, and some ‘congratulations’ coming from her fellow panellists, Ms Frecklington, who was a panelist on the Channel 9 election coverage, was not yet calling Nanango.
“I am a bit surprised - there were eight of us on the ballot and I thought some of those smaller parties would do better,” Ms Frecklington said.
The latest numbers had Ms Frecklington with a 7032 votes compared to her nearest contender Labor candidate Vel Heward, with 2534 votes.
Her supporters gathered at the Carollee Hotel in Kingaroy to celebrate.
In early 2024, Ms Frecklington was appointed the opposition spokesperson for energy, a portfolio that emerged as a major battleground in the lead-up to the election.
Her other opponents trailed far behind, with Adam Maslen from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation the closest on 1534 votes.
To the west of Nanango is Gympie, which has been held by incumbent MP Tony Perrett who now goes into his fourth term.
Last night, Mr Perrett was leading on 5701 votes, with 32.45 per cent of the vote counted.
He was being trailed by One Nation’s Katy McCallum on 3388 votes and then Labor’s Lachlan Anderson on 3344, who went into the election with the recent devastating loss of his grandmother.
Mr Perrett has held Gympie since 2015, and won the 2020 election with a 8.5 percent margin. His entry into state politics followed many years in local government, serving as deputy mayor and councillor with the Gympie and Kilkivan councils.
He must now be considered a chance at a ministerial appointment.
Earlier:
The 2024 Queensland state election was well underway and many Gympie residents made their way down to the local polling booth to have their say.
Candidates for One Nation, the Greens, and Australian Labour Party were campaigning at the Gympie Senior Citizens Centre, the most central polling booth in the region.
Out of all the candidates, One Nation candidate Katy McCallum was at the venue first and explained she had been campaigning for 11 days straight with her family and other volunteers.
She chatted to many community members about her experience as a police officer, and what her goals were for the future of the Gympie region.
When asked how she felt about today, she said:
“Excellent! I’ve received a super positive response from the Gympie community.”
“I do not believe I could’ve worked any harder to show Gympie that I stand with a true and strong voice on this region’s needs,” she said.
“I believe it will be a very tight race and it may be a few more days before a result; but it’s been very obvious to me here at the voting station that there has been a major turn against the two major parties.”
Greens candidate Emma Buhse said she was very happy with her campaign, which she described as a “bit unconventional”.
Ms Buhse was late to the party but said on Saturday she “had enjoyed the ride the whole way” and it had been a “beautiful lesson in seeing what is possible”..
Australian Labor Party candidate Lachlan Anderson declined an interview and asked that the questions be forwarded to his email, and the ALP volunteers declined to be photographed.
LNP volunteers were out in force.
Gympie voters who agreed to a quick interview cited youth crime as a significant issue for them ahead of the election.
A dairy farming duo said they had voted for Tony Perrett because of his rural background.
A young Cowboys fan sporting a mullet said he also voted for the LNP because Mr Perrett “actually does stuff around Gympie”.
Residents who said they had voted Green cited the environment as their main issue.
One woman said “I really think the two major parties have had it too good for too long” and she did not believe GYmpie had received its fair share from the state government and that was why she had voted Green.
Regarding Katy’s prediction for the election results, “I believe it will be a very tight race and it may be a few more days before a result; but it’s been very obvious to me here at the voting station that there has been a major turn against the two major parties.”.
The Greens candidate for Gympie, Emma Buhse, was on the ground campaigning and discussing her hopes and plans for the Gympie region should she be elected.
Two of the safest seats in Queensland today are Gympie and Nanango, held for many years by Liberal National Party MPs Tony Perrett and Deb Frecklington, and expected to stay that way after Queensland votes.
Mr Perrett has held Gympie since 2015, and won the 2020 election with a 8.5 percent margin. His entry into state politics followed many years in local government, serving as deputy mayor and councillor with the Gympie and Kilkivan councils.
Mr Perrett owns and runs a cattle property near Kilkivan, and has been opposition spokesperson for agriculture, fisheries and forestry since 2020.
He must be considered a chance at a ministerial appointment if the LNP succeeds in routing Labor.
Up against him on Saturday is Labor candidate and Gympie son Lachlan Anderson, who goes into the election with the recent devastating loss of his grandmother.
Also contesting the seat is another well known local identity Emma Buhse for the Greens, and Katy McCallum for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
The electorate is centred on the city of Gympie and stretches north to Rainbow Beach and as far south to Pomona. The district’s most famous former member is Andrew Fisher, who became Prime Minister of Australia.
Ms Frecklington has held Nanango since 2012, a term that included a stint as the leader of the opposition, challenging former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for the top job at the 2020 election.
She holds the seat with a 12.2 percent margin and is expected to be safely returned. Her supporters will be getting together at the Carollee Hotel in Kingaroy tonight, but Ms Frecklington herself will be heading to Brisbane after sho votes to appear on the Channel Nine panel.
In early 2024 Ms Frecklington was appointed the Opposition spokesman for energy, a portfolio that emerged as a major battleground in the lead-up to the election.
On election day, she is up again Labor candidate Vel Heward, Adam Maslen from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, young Angus Ryan for the Greens, Anthony Hopkins from the Legalise Cannabis Queensland party and Independents Jason Miles and Nathan Hope.
Ms Heward is a South Burnett local having been born in Nanango and lived in Kilcoy for 40 years.
Ms Heward has been a Minister with the Wamuran Spiritualist Church, and has spent her life listening to and advocating for the region and its residents.
Her election platform is built on Labor’s policies for better access to health services closer to home and delivering well paid secure jobs for the regions.
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