Back to school for our newest state MP

The westside’s newest MP has hit the ground running, but first she has to go back to school.

Jonty Bush, the new Labor MP for Cooper, will be sworn in and give her maiden speech to Parliament as soon as next week after Cooper was formally declared. She is pictured with husband Matthew Bashford and their daughter Albie Bashford, 7. Picture: Renae Droop/RDW Photography

High-profile Labor MP for Cooper, Jonty Bush, has been heading off to school this week after dropping off her daughter Albie to school.

“Parliament school’’, a four-day introduction to everything new MPs need to know about State Parliament, kicked off on Monday.

It has been a busy time for Ms Bush, whose image will replace her predecessor Kate Jones’ electorate sign on Waterworks Rd in Ashgrove later this week.

And next week she might be called on to deliver her maiden speech to Parliament.

Swearing in of the state’s 93 MPs is expected to take place on Tuesday with Parliament opening on Wednesday

“It’s full steam ahead. I had Parliament school yesterday followed by two P & C meetings — I didn’t get home until 9pm,’’ Ms bush said.

“There’s a lot more work to do moving into Christmas. The office is open, but I’m asking people to call to make an appointment as I intend to spend a lot of time out in the community.’’

Ms Bush won Cooper (formerly Ashgrove) with 11,509 votes, just edging out the LNP’s Trent Wiseman on 11,285 votes.

But when preferences from the Greens’ Katinka Winston-Allom — who won exactly 10,000 votes — were taken into account, Ms Bush was convincingly ahead with 60.49 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.

The Electoral Commission of Queensland on Monday confirmed all declarations for the 2020 state general election were complete and the writ had been returned to Governor Paul de Jersey.

The Greens’ “uncannily accurate’’ polling method predicts Maiwar/South Brisbane result

The formal count in the Indooroopilly-based seat of Maiwar was 14,254 for incumbent Greens MP Michael Berkman, who has been joined by one other Greens MP, Amy MacMahon, on the cross benches.

Mr Berkman’s 41.32 per cent primary vote is the second highest at a state level anywhere in Australia for the party.

The LNP’s Lauren Day won 12,832 votes and Labor’s Palani Thevar won 6413, giving Mr Berkman a two-party preferred vote of 56.32 per cent.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey, who has now been given responsibility for Cross River Rail, also easily won his seat of Miller with 13,407 votes.

The LNP’s Paul Darwen came second with 9759 votes and the Greens’ Patsy O’Brien came third on 6590 votes.

On a two-party preferred basis Mr Bailey had 63.82 per cent of the vote.

In Moggill, LNP incumbent Dr Christian Rowan was returned with 14,888 votes.

Labor’s Roberta Albrecht won 9012 votes and the Greens’ Lawson McCane won 6536 votes.

On a two-party preferred basis Dr Rowan, who has been promoted to Shadow Minister for Education, clinched 53.59 per cent of the vote.

He retains his Arts portfolio as well.