Dawson and Capricornia election day 2022 live blog: Willcox retains LNP hold in Mackay region

Mackay is renowned as a service hub for coal mining, but that didn’t stop Greens contender Paula Creen from nabbing an impressive first preference vote, part of the election’s ‘Greensland’ shock.

Greens contender Paula Creen says she ran for Dawson because she could not see anyone else who represented her values.

Her tilt at politics has been a success, part of a broader ‘Greensland’ wave that has swept across the state.

Her party will pick up seats in the southeast and in coal country, Mrs Creen nabbed 7 per cent of first preference votes, a 2.4 per cent swing in her favour.

The result makes the Greens the second largest minor party in the electorate, outstripping right-wing minors such as Katter’s Australian Party, the United Australia Party and the Great Australian Party.

Mrs Creen could barely contain her glee on election night, writing on her Facebook page: “It’s early yet but woohoo.”

She celebrated with friends and supporters at Langford’s Hotel in Mackay.

The day after the vote, Mrs Creen said she was proud of her grassroots campaign.

“I’m very proud of the grassroots campaign we’ve run, all the volunteers and Greensland,” she said.

“We’ve grown our movement fighting for action on climate change and inequality and we’re just getting started.”

The UAP’s Christian Young did not fare as well, managing to secure just 4 per cent of first preference votes.

“Throughout the campaign I have learnt a lot and I have met some great people who I now consider friends for life,” he said.

“The election result has only strengthened my view that Australia is at a crisis point and after taking much needed time to spend with my family, I will reflect on how I can fight to save Australia in the future.”

James Jackson from the Great Australian Party, meanwhile, said he was satisfied with his tally.

Mr Jackson secured 2.1 per cent of first preferences.

Katter’s Australian Party Dawson candidate Ciaron Paterson and Great Australian Party Dawson candidate James Jackson at the Northern Beaches Bowls Club as counting gets under way for the 2022 federal election. Picture: Tara Miko

“I’m devastated Labor is in,” he said.

“I don’t think that’s good for anybody, especially not in Dawson.

“Quite pleased for the way GAP done for the amount of time we had.

“I think we did really well actually.

“With a little more time I think we could have increased (our vote).”

Mr Jackson said he believed Australia’s true constitution was “not being followed at all.”

“Our government is actually running as a corporate government,” he said.

Mr Jackson said he was tired after campaigning and fell asleep watching the count come in.

He added he might run for the seat of Mackay at the next state election.

“Under the constitution the state government is unlawful,” he said.

Willcox triumphs

Dawson victor Andrew Willcox has gathered with supporters at the Ocean International resort in Mackay.

The Whitsunday mayor had garnered more than 41 per cent of first preference votes as of 9.52pm, a substantial win which nearly matches the first preference vote secured by his controversial predecessor George Christensen in 2019.

The AEC projects a two candidate preferred split of 60-40 in Mr Willcox’s favour, a 4.29 per cent swing against the Nationals from 2019.

The election party was closed off to media but after some persuasion Mr Willcox agreed to answer two pre-approved questions.

He expressed mixed feelings on the night: confident of victory in Dawson but deeply concerned about the nation-wide result.

“I will be absolutely devastated if the Liberal National government actually is not retained,” he said.

“Because they have done so much work, so much work strengthening our economy.”

About 30 minutes later, Scott Morrison phoned Labor’s Anthony Albanese to concede defeat.

He also thanked the people of Dawson for their support.

“I say thank you very much to the people of Dawson for placing their faith in me,” he said.

“I will reward them.

“I will work hard for them.

“I will fight for them every single day to the best of my ability.”

Hamilton defeated but ‘more marginal is a win’

A small crowd of Labor faithful clapped and cheered at a union hall on Brisbane St when Dawson Labor candidate Shane Hamilton walked in at 8.45pm.

“Give us the good news,” a lady shouted.

Mr Hamilton replied: “The good news - Albo might get in.”

Mr Hamilton has lost the race, but increased Labor’s primary vote by some 4 per cent.

Mr Hamilton said he went into the contest to claw back some of the LNP’s margin from 2019 and on that metric, he counts his efforts a success.

“Dawson has been forgotten about for 10 years,” he said.

“Making it more marginal is a win for the people of Dawson.”

He said he was proud of the volunteers who had stomped about the electorate for him.

“Those guys have gone to war with me and I couldn’t be prouder of them,” he said.

Mr Hamilton’s wife Anita stood by him and also expressed her pride in her husband’s campaign.

“I am absolutely proud of Shane,” she said.

“I think we have run a campaign we can be proud of.”

Mr Hamilton said he had provided some genuine ideas in the six-week tussle.

He also expressed his congratulations to victor Andrew Willcox.

“Good luck to him,” he said.

Landry reacts to early polling results

Incumbent Liberal Nationals candidate Michelle Landry appears likely to enter her fourth term as the seat of Capricornia’s representative in Canberra, with the Rockhampton-based MP taking a strong lead in early counting ahead of Labor’s candidate, coal miner Russell Robertson.

Celebrating with her family, supporters and staff at Rockhampton venue CocoBrew on Saturday night, Ms Landry said she was excited but nervous.

“This is the most nerve-wracking time when the numbers are starting to come through, because this is in the hands of the people,” she said.

“There’s nothing I can do. This is how the people of Capricornia and Australia have voted and that’s what I’m waiting for now.”

Despite the early lead, Ms Landry was not counting her chickens before they hatched.

“Last election I had the biggest swing in the country, and that was always going to come back, and I knew that, but I have continued to work hard and it’s looking very positive at the moment,” she said.

“It’s tight, you can never take anything for granted and you’ve got to think about how many tens of thousands of people went through pre-poll, the postal votes that are out there, so it’s still anyone’s game, but the early indications are looking good.”

One Nation the largest showing for minors

Dawson One Nation contender Julie Hall has nabbed a primary vote of some 14.5 per cent with two thirds of booths reporting.

It is the largest showing among the minors but she nonetheless expressed disappointment she could not win the seat outright.

“I felt I had a realistic chance,” she said, adding she was still proud of her effort to bring the issues she cares about to the public.

Standing with One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts at the Coral Cay Motel in Mackay, Mrs Hall said she had “absolutely loved”campaigning.

“You haven’t seen the last of me yet,” she said, though she would not reveal what she had in mind for the future.

“I’m going to keep you hanging,” she said.

“You just watch this space.”

First numbers showing predictable outcome

A third of Dawson’s polling places have reported and the early first preference numbers look good for LNP contender Andrew Willcox.

As of 7.05pm, Mr Willcox sits with 47 per cent of first preferences, a swing of 1 per cent in his favour.

A note of caution, the polling booths to date have offered up only a small number of voters.

Also, major booths such as Mercury House in Mackay have yet to report.

Liberal Senator and Coalition campaign spokesman Senator Simon Birmingham said he was “encouraged” by the result, adding he believed voters had backed Mr Willcox’s more restrained manner and style compared to his controversial predecessor George Christensen.

“I think that’s a very strong signal and message,” he said.

Katter’s Australian Party, the United Australia Party and the Great Australian Party look to have flopped in Dawson based on early vote numbers.

With first preferences in from almost half of the booths across the seat, KAP candidate Ciaron Paterson has just 6 per cent of the vote, a swing of 1.6 per cent against him.

UAP contender Christian Young has fared even more poorly, with just 4 per cent of the vote and a 0.9 per cent swing against him.

GAP candidate James Jackson has 2.15 per cent of the vote, or 336 votes.

Mr Paterson is spending election night at the Northern Beaches Bowls Club along with GAP contender James Jackson and he expressed some disappointment in the result.

“I came in late in the race, as we all know,” he said.

“I didn’t have a lot of time to campaign.

When the election was called was when my campaign started.

“I’ve done my best.”

Mr Paterson said he would go home and “slip off his boots” this evening after giving the campaign everything he had.

“It (a federal election) is very intense,” he said.

“You need to be on your game a lot more.”

How voting will work

It has been six weeks of corflutes, handshakes, How to Vote cards, debates, pledges and press releases and now the polls have closed.

The people of Dawson and Capricornia have spoken and there is nothing left to do but wait and see what they have said.

The Australian Electoral Commission begins counting the vote from 6pm and will count until midnight.

All votes cast today will be counted and the majority of pre-poll votes will also be counted.

Tallies will be updated as the count rolls on.

The AEC has cautioned that a clear result might not be available by the end of the night and the AEC never declares seats on election night.

News outlets such as Sky News call seats based on the count and their own assessments.

Postal votes will not be counted tonight and the AEC has stated 2.7 million postal vote applications were received this election, up from 1.5 million in 2019.

Keep up with the numbers right here in our tally for Dawson and Capricornia.

We will update the numbers for you as the vote rolls in.

Stay tuned!

The democracy sausage is still a smash hit.

Standing by the voting line at the Victoria Park State School booth, Parents and Citizens vice president Laura Lyons said she had sold 300 sausages at $2.50 a piece, 48 bacon and egg burgers at $6 a pop and 30 dozen lamingtons.

Kai Baldock and Scott Davis grabbed one each after voting at the booth.

“This is the best part of voting,” Ms Baldock said with a laugh.

As voters ambled in, Greens candidate Paula Creen offered How To Vote cards.

“It’s been six weeks of crazy,” she said.

“I’ve learned a hell of a lot and I’ve loved it.

Loved working with all the Greens people.”

Mrs Creen said she would abstain from a sausage because she was going vegan for the month.

“Hashtag ‘no meat May,” she said.

Lachlan and Brittney Nielsen stood in line with their 11-month old baby Zavier.

Mr Nielsen said voting was just “another chore”, and added he would plump for One Nation in the booth.

“Something different,” he said.

“We’ve had the two majors forever.”

Capricornia incumbent casts vote in the Beef City

Wet weather continued for Rockhampton voters as Capricornia incumbent Michelle Landry cast her vote at the James Lawrence Pavilion both on Saturday at noon.

A Liberal National Party volunteer said it had been quite busy at the booth throughout the morning with a line up of about 15-20 people when the doors opened at 8am.

Ms Landry said she just wanted to thank Capricornia voters for all the support they have given her over the past nine years.

“If I have the honour of being re-elected I will be committed to keep working as hard as I have been,” she said.

“I have put more than $5.7 billion of infrastructure into this region and there is more to come.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to be the member for Capricornia and as someone who never thought they would be a politician I am very proud of what I have achieved.”

Voters run the gauntlet as candidates left holding the cards

Mackay has turned on the cold, drizzly weather for the election but it has not deterred candidates hitting the booths early.

Northern Beaches appears to be the epicentre for last-minute pitches with Dawson hopefuls chatting with voters.

But their bundles of How to Vote cards aren’t leaving their hands, with most voters saying they have already made up their minds on who they want in government.

Labor’s Shane Hamilton put his family first for the morning, coaching his six-year-old son Beau’s footy team before wrapping up his campaign.

Beau’s team, the U6 Magpies, had a win, too.

Mr Hamilton said there was a different atmosphere at the booth compared to pre-polling, with fewer election flyers being taken into the Mackay Northern Beaches State High School sports hall.

Great Australian Party’s Dawson man Jim Jackson, also in the Northern Beaches, said he was confident he had gotten his party’s strong message out in the five-week campaign he ran.

“I really hope we get a hung parliament,” he said between talking with punters.

He pushed the party’s Senate run, saying more independents in the Upper House would pivot Australia back to how the constitution intended it to be.

“It gives you independence,” he said.

“The constitution was designed to have a lot of independents.

“We need our Australians to run Australia.”

He said most voters he spoke with appeared to have made up their minds.

One Nation’s Julie Hall said she was hopeful of more than just making Dawson marginal – she wants the win.

In the unmissable trademark orange T-shirt at Northern Beaches, Ms Hall said people did not want the paperwork being dished out, and they were “not happy with the two majors”.

“I wouldn’t call it yet, locally,” she said.

With party leader Pauline Hanson in isolation with Covid and newly signed party member George Christensen – himself in a battle for a Senate seat – Ms Hall said she had felt the support of the party across the electorate.

But with Mr Christensen Brisbane-bound, the party subbed in Senator Malcolm Roberts to back Ms Hall at various booths.

One Nation heartland votes for the orange

It’s a rainy, drizzly day in Sarina, the small sugarcane township in the electorate of Capricornia.

Volunteer Tom Petitt stood outside St Luke’s Hall on Broad St handing out How To Vote cards for Labor’s Russell Robertson.

“I wish it wasn’t raining,” he said with a chuckle.

“But it could be raining harder.”

Hayden Whisson stood in line and said he was excited about the day.

“Just being able to vote for who I think should be in charge,” he said.

Mr Whisson said he would plump for Pauline Hanson and One Nation.

“She’s got Australia’s back.”

At the state level, Sarina is One Nation territory and insurance broker Katie Blackley, crossing Broad St in the rain after her vote, said she had gone for One Nation as well.

She said she was dissatisfied with the major parties and listed cost of living as the issue foremost on her mind when she was in the voting booth.

“All the prices have gone up quite a bit.”

Where to check the latest results

Our team will be checking the latest results and bringing them here, so make sure to check in when the polls close at 6pm.

Everything you need to know as Dawson and Capricornia decides

Dawson and Capricornia voters will head to the polls to have their say on who should form the next federal government.

Across the country there are more than 7000 polling booths open, and more than 1.6 million votes have already been cast at pre-poll centres, and a large number of Dawson and Capricornia voters have had their say already.

But if you are yet to vote and still not sure who is running in Dawson and Capricornia, meet the candidates here.

There are 33 polling booths across Dawson open today from 8am – 6pm.

Check the full list here.

In Capricornia, there are 43 booths open from Rockhampton to Townsville.

They are open from 8am – 6pm.

The nearest for our patch include Middlemount, Koumala, Dysart, Sarina, Alligator Creek, Nebo, Chelona, Bakers Creek, Ooralea, Eton, Walkerston, Marian, Moranbah, Mirani, Clermont, Finch Hatton, Glenden and Collinsville in the north.

We asked you what issues mattered most to you for the incoming federal government.

You told us and we asked the candidates.

Find out what the Dawson and Capricornia contenders had to say here and here.

The Daily Mercury’s exit polling revealed the likely winners for both seats in our patch, based on more than 550 first-preference picks of voters.

Catch up on the analysis here.

The Daily Mercury’s live and comprehensive coverage of election day will kick off in earnest about noon.

While major political upsets in the seat are not expected, the conversation throughout the campaign in Dawson has been whether the seat could become more marginal.

The tallies will show whether that message has resonated with voters.

You can catch up on every pledge, promise, funding announcement and commitment the candidates made during the campaign here.

Check back throughout the day to see the latest from across Dawson and Capricornia.

It is expected to be a rainy day throughout much of the region, so pack an umbrella if you’re out today.

Originally published as Dawson and Capricornia election day 2022 live blog: Willcox retains LNP hold in Mackay region