Shock result possible in Dickson after massive resources thrown at seat

Huge resources have been thrown at the north Brisbane electorate of Dickson by both major parties. But the shock result of this opinion poll shows it is the resources of another group which could determine the winner.

HOME Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is set to narrowly hold on to his seat of Dickson, despite a swing against him, according to a new poll.

Huge resources have been thrown at the north Brisbane electorate of Dickson by both major parties, with one insider describing it as “two giants throwing haymakers at each other”.

There have also been growing numbers of third party groups on the ground, including GetUp!, Advance Australia, The Australian Education Union, the Queensland Nurses Union and conservative group Right On.

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But it is preferences from Clive Palmer’s United Australian Party and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation which has Mr Dutton polling 51-49, on track to scrape in ahead of Labor’s Ali France.

Home Affairs Minister and incumbent Member for Dickson Peter Dutton

Labor candidate for Dickson Ali France at the Pine River Bowls Club event. Pictures: AAP Image/Glenn Hunt

An exclusive YouGov-Galaxy poll, taken for The Courier-Mail of 542 voters on May 13 and 14, saw just a 0.7 per cent swing against the incumbent on a two-party preferred basis compared to the 2016 election.

It would see him retain the seat with a razor-thin 1 per cent margin.

But there has been a 3.7 per cent swing against his primary vote, which dropped from 44.7 to 41 per cent compared to the past election.

Labor’s primary vote remained steady at 35 per cent, while the Greens also remained stable at 10 per cent.

But Mr Palmer’s political outfit is on track to win 9 per cent of the vote, while One Nation is set to score 3 per cent.

With both those parties preferences Mr Dutton over Ms France, their votes could get the Minister over the line.

Labor has been targeting the seat heavily, seeking to take the high-profile scalp, particularly since his failed leadership coup in August.

Originally published as Shock result possible in Dickson after massive resources thrown at seat