Resources Minister Scott Stewart considers his next job

Defeated Resources Minister Scott Stewart would not return to his former high school principal role, preferring to look at more ambitious options.

Townsville MP Scott Stewart at the West End pre-polling centre. Picture: Evan Morgan

Defeated Townsville Labor MP Scott Stewart hopes to advocate for the resources sector and continue making Townsville the hub of critical minerals, following Labor’s defeat in Saturday night’s election.

Mr Stewart accepted defeat to LNP’s Adam Baillie on Saturday night at a Labor event held at the Jubilee Bowls Club, having fallen behind by almost 2500 votes.

“My time has come to an end, I’ve handed Adam Baillie the reins,” Mr Stewart said.

Mr Baillie declared victory on Saturday night at an LNP function at the Ville along with the other two Townsville based LNP based candidates Natalie Marr (Thuringowa) and Janelle Poole (Mundingburra), with Mr Baillie having 41.92 per cent of his electorate’s vote.

It has been understood that for some time Mr Stewart was prepared for the loss of his seat, and he knew he had to work hard on doorknocking and local presence if he was to be any chance as the incumbent government faced an insurmountable battle.

QLDVOTES24 LNP function at The Ville in Townsville. New members Adam Baillie, Janelle Poole and Natalie Marr celebrate with party friends.

From the start of the official election campaign he said it would be a tightly contested seat, while a Labor source said early in the week that Townsville was expected to be lost.

The day before the election at an early voting centre at West End, the former Pimlico State High School principal said he had given thought to what he would do if he was no longer a politician.

He did not want North Queensland and the North West Minerals Province to lose the momentum he believed it had gained in attracting the attention of foreign investors as the world seeks large supplies of critical minerals in stable and environmentally conscious nations.

Resources Minister Scott Stewart speaks at the official opening of the New Acland Mine, Stage 3, about two hours west of Brisbane. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

And Townsville, and its port, was the link between the province’s ore and the foreign market.

Mr Stewart said he would need to “brush up” on his teaching skills if he was to return to education, but at the detriment of the unique experience he gained as a cabinet minister.

“I’ve been out of the game now for 10 years and education has moved quite quickly in that time,” Mr Stewart said.

“I’ve developed a whole new skills set I think … particularly doing the ministerial role and my role in resources, but I think my plan would be to have a little bit of downtime, I’ve served the Townsville community with 110 per cent energy over the last 10 years with very small time off for myself.

Minister for Resources and Critical Minerals Scott Stewart at the official opening of the CopperString Experience Centre in Townsville. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“It comes at great expense as you could imagine to your health, to your fitness and to your family when you miss things like birthdays and anniversaries and fathers day and mothers day when you’re always in Brisbane for those things.”

The resource sector has “really got into my blood”, and it was a part of his own family history through his great grandfather Walter John Davidson, who prospected alongside Mount Isa ore discoverer John Campbell Miles.

While resources was part of Mr Stewart’s family history, he believed it also was a vital part of Queensland’s future.

Townsville KAP candidate Margie Ryder at the West End pre-polling centre. Picture: Evan Morgan

“If I was in a position where I could continue to do the work that I’ve been doing as the resources minister and continue to do that I’d love to be involved in that,” Mr Stewart said.

But Mr Stewart said any position in the resources industry he was offered would have to be approved by the Integrity Commissioner.

“There is legislation in place that says I can’t be involved in certain positions for the next two years because of my involvement as the government minister, and I certainly respect that and understand that and I think that’s a really good decision,” Mr Stewart said.

Meanwhile, KAP’s Margie Ryder has faced a second electoral defeat this year with only 12 per cent of the vote and after losing Division 1 to Paul Jacob in the local government election.

Ms Ryder said she would not be taking the state election loss as hard as she did following the local election.

She was considering a range of options for her “Plan B”, such as returning to working at her family’s engineering business, or to do charity work.

“I might do something completely out of left field,” Ms Ryder said.

“So I got an application to be a train driver, who knows, you never know, I’ve got a big bucket list.”