Cook says election result sends a clear message to LNP to listen

The citywide swings to Labor in the council election should serve as a warning to the LNP to listen to ratepayers, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition believes.

CITYWIDE swings to Labor have sent a message to the LNP in Brisbane City Council to start listening to its constituents, according to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition Kara Cook.

With 43 per cent of the vote counted in Morningside and postal votes being counted today, Cr Cook will be returned, with more than half the primary, increasing her vote by 3 per cent.

Cr Cook had 50.3 per cent of the vote, the LNP’s Toby Moore on close to 37 per cent and Greens Rolf Kuelsen about 13 per cent.

Fifteen of the 26 Brisbane City Council wards had swings to Labor, four wards had major swings to The Greens and Independent Councillor Nicole Johnston had a 3.5 per cent swing giving her more than 76 per cent of the vote in Tennyson.

The swings to Labor include 12 per cent in Calamvale, 9.5 per cent in Forest Lake, 9 per cent in Deagon, 8 per cent in Moorooka and 7 per cent in Jamboree and more than 4 per cent swing to Labor for lord mayor candidate Pat Condren. Swings to The Greens include more than 11 per cent in Walter Taylor and in Councillor Jonathan Sri’s ward of The Gabba, 8 per cent in Pullenvale and more than 5 per cent in Paddington.

Councillors Jonathan Sri and Kara Cook have both been voted back in. Picture: AAP Image/Renae Droop

Cr Cook said despite difficulties campaigning during restrictions with coronavirus, there were some good swings to Labor citywide.

“It was an election unlike any other. What would have traditionally been a very busy last two weeks, particularly for the lord mayoral campaign, because of the coronavirus it made campaigning very difficult,” Cr Cook said.

“The Greens targeted the inner-city wards and we’ve seen that reflected in the results.

“I think the community wants the LNP to listen and I don’t think they are listening and that’s reflected in the result that we have seen. People are moving away from them, unfortunately not enough to get us over the line this time, but we will be making sure we hold them to account over the next four years to make sure they are listening to residents and that we deliver better results for the community.”

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Cr Cook said the party remained hopeful of picking up a few more seats in Council.

“The result overall is disappointing but I am grateful to have another term. I’m also grateful that all of my existing colleagues have been returned and I am hopeful that we will have a few more join us,” she said.

“I think we ran a really good campaign. I think the citywide result with some of the swings we have seen across the city has been incredibly heartening.”

LNP councillor for the nearby southside ward of Chandler Ryan Murphy, who has been returned with about 65 per cent of the primary vote, but a 3.3 per cent swing to Labor, said the Labor vote had stood still across the city.

“The message is certainly clear that The Greens vote is rising in the inner city, probably a result of Jonathan Sri’s higher profile but if Labor is trying to claim that this is some sort of great victory for them, that’s just laughable,” he said.