Labor’s election result is on a knife-edge in Queensland

COUNTING continues in the Queensland election with the result relying on a few key seats where only a handful of votes separate candidates.

QUEENSLANDERS are still waiting for the official result of the state election more than a week after going to the polls.

While counting continues Labor had by Monday afternoon won 46 seats, with 86.3 per cent of votes tallied. The Courier Mail is reporting that a result should be known by the end of the week.

The ABC has predicted Labor will win 47 seats, returning Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with a slim majority in the 93-seat unicameral parliament.

Labor sources are confident the government will secure the numbers needed to lead parliament and avoid cutting deals with a more diverse crossbench.

The LNP is forecast to win 38 seats and despite the results being all but officially confirmed, leaders of both the major parties had a quiet start to the week.

Ms Palaszczuk has not made a public appearance since last Monday, where she fronted the cameras during a meeting with the Local Government Association of Queensland, but did not take questions from reporters.

Meanwhile, LNP leader Tim Nicholls, who has made multiple appearances since the November 25 poll, has faced mounting speculation he will be ousted from the opposition’s top job, with sources saying he could face a spill this week.

On Tuesday the focus will remain on seats like Hinchinbrook, Burdekin, Maiwar and Townsville, where only a handful of votes separate candidates.

Labor is ahead in Townsville where 83.6 per cent of the vote has been counted. Scott Stewart has got 9413 first preference votes, just 728 more than LNP candidate Casie Scott on 8685 votes.

Labor had been expected to take the seat of Maiwar in Brisbane but this now looks set to become the Greens’ first seat in Queensland. The Greens are likely to win the seat based on preferences.

But the LNP is ahead in Burdekin and Katter’s Australia party looks set to take Hinchinbrook.

— Charis Chang contributed to this report

Queensland Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk speaks during a meeting with the Local Government Association of Queensland on Monday. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/AAP

Originally published as Labor’s election result is on a knife-edge in Queensland