Federal election 2025 Gold Coast: All you need to know about voting and results in Moncrieff, McPherson and Fadden
As final hours of voting begin, one of the Gold Coast’s leading business figures has hit out, saying the two major parties missed a key policy plank to rev up the economy. FOLLOW LIVE
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Polls have opened in the 2025 federal election, with Gold Coasters crowding polling booths across the city to have their say.
While nearly half of all eligible voters have already made the trip to the ballot box, there’s still plenty of votes to be cast across Saturday between 8am and 6pm.
There are three seats here on the Gold Coast – Fadden in the north, Moncrieff on the central and McPherson in the south, as well as two others – Forde and Wright, which take in small sections of the city’s far north and west respectively.
ELECTION:
* POLL RESULT IN SOUTHERN GOLD COAST SEAT
Fadden is a safe LNP seat, held since a July 2023 by-election by Cameron Caldwell with a 10.6 per cent margin
Moncrieff, is also a safe LNP seat, held since May 2019 by Angie Bell, most recently on an 11.2 per cent margin.
McPherson, in the Gold Coast’s south, is expected to be the most competitive election battle despite traditionally being an LNP stronghold.
Incumbent MP Karen Andrews, who retires today from politics, won it with a 9.6 per cent margin in 2022.
The LNP selected Leon Rebello to contest the seat, while his most notable competition is coming not from Labor but from high-profile independent Erchana Murray-Bartlett.
4.30PM MCPHERSON CANDIDATE REBELLO
LNP newcomer Leon Rebello, facing a stern challenge from Climate-200 backed candidate and marathoner Erchana Murray-Bartlett, said on Saturday afternoon he was feeling “very optimistic” and encouraged by the “mood on the ground”.
On Saturday afternoon after casting his vote, Mr Rebello said: “It’s exciting to come to the end of what’s been a very long process but enjoyable process. I stopped my job and have been out in the community for 12 months now.
“It’s sometimes challenging to get across such a big electorate - you don’t have time to knock on every single door you would like too.”
Mr Rebello is hoping to become the new Member after LNP stalwart and former Home Affairs Minister in the Morrison Government Karen Andrews exited politics. She had held the seat since 2010 and retained it in 2022 with a 9.3 per cent margin.
Mr Rebello: “What people are telling me on the ground at polling booths is the LNP has been able to provide for this seat for some time, and been able to provide the generational infrastructure. Karen Andrews brought in over $2 billion worth of federal investment into this seat.
“At pre-poll the past two weeks the mood has been very encouraging. I’ve come from the private sector, studied around the world and bring a depth of experience.”
4PM - BUSINESS LEADER’S DISAPPOINTMENT
As final hours of voting begin, one of the Gold Coast’s leading business figures has hit out, saying says the sector has been left out of the conversation and described the election campaign as a “letdown”.
Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce president Zac Revere said he felt all candidates had been “silent” on tax reform despite its importance for thousands of small businesses on the Gold Coast.
“Taxation is one of the most powerful tools available to a federal government to improve the circumstances of small businesses - here on the Gold Coast and across the country, yet, not a single federal candidate from Yatala to Coolangatta has engaged in a legible, adult, or professional conversation on the topic,” he said.
“It’s not that I think our major parties or Gold Coast candidates don’t have a tax policy and it’s not that I think they’re deliberately hiding it but the reality is taxation just isn’t a ‘sexy’ topic and most candidates on the Gold Coast don’t genuinely understand the tax system or its direct impact on small and medium-sized enterprises.
“Many have never carried the weight of managing a business, they haven’t experienced what it means to juggle a tax burden alongside payroll, HR, marketing, staffing, and everything else it takes to build something from nothing.
“So no, I don’t think the silence is facetious. I think it’s a lack of understanding - and a fear of talking about something that won’t win votes but the truth is, taxation policy belongs at the core of our national economic debate and right now, we’re missing it.”
His spray comes after the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce and Light Rail Business Advisory Group chair Stephen Harrison urged whoever formed the new federal government to stop taking the Gold Coast for granted and start taking the infrastructure needs of the booming city - Australia’s sixth biggest - seriously.
MAJOR PARTY TAX POLICY
Incubment Labor is set to hand out two extra tax cuts for every taxpayer in 2026 and 2027, building on an initial round introduced in July last year. The government will also introduce an instant $1000 tax deduction for work expenses and extend the $20,000 Instant Asset Write Off for 12 months. Meanwhile, Peter Dutton’s Coalition has a $10 billion tax package for eligible Aussies earning up to $144,000 with up to $1200 in tax relief when they lodge returns. It means about 85 per cent of taxpayers will benefit.
Small businesses will be eligible for a $30,000 instant asset write-off and the Coalition will allow business lunches to be tax deductible.
Mr Revere said insolvency rates were at a “national high” while productivity was low, something he described as “indicators of long-term economic decline”, warning “our Gold Coast economy will not be spared from their consequences”.
“There is a genuine opportunity here for our federal government, and for candidates across this city, to have a mature discussion about how taxation policy can both fund essential services and incentivise economic growth,” he said.
“That conversation didn’t happen this election and based on what we’ve seen, it’s unlikely to happen in the next- because too many candidates, and the major parties themselves, do not understand Australia’s taxation system or the strategic opportunities it holds.
“The Gold Coast is now a $40bn economy - not because of government miracles, but because businesses have historically been able to reinvest their earnings locally.
“Good government policy - stable, fair, and empowering - enabled that. That reinvestment is what drives our economy. When government creates the right conditions, businesses thrive and when businesses thrive, so does our economy.
“But this election failed to recognise that. And once again, much like the recent federal budget, our business community has been left out of the conversation.”
2PM HUNT FOR DEMOCRACY SAUSAGE: ‘WHY NOT GOVT FUNDED?’
The hunt for a democracy sausage continues on the Gold Coast with slim pickings in the McPherson electorate so far today - as voters reveal cost-of-living is biting.
After finding no sausages at Robina State School or Palm Beach Currumbin State High, the Bulletin has headed to Merrimac State High only to find they had stopped selling sausages an hour before arrival.
Voter Dan Barr, who has been a voter for 26 years, said the lack of democracy sausages was really disappointing.
“It’s a really important part of the election day,” he said.
“I actually thought it was a government funded thing, but I’m happy to pay, but, yeah, absolutely, it should be part of election day.”
After voting he said he and his wife would have to find somewhere else to eat.
1.30PM PALM BEACH ELECTION ENTREPRENEURS
The Gold Coast is regarded as one of the small business capitals of the country - and some budding young entrepreneurs are making the most of election-day foot traffic
Trio Grace and Kit Euler and their neighbour Genevieve Spiers are all too young to vote - but not to make a bit of pocketmoney out of the heavy foot traffic near Palm Beach Currumbin State High School on Saturday morning, taking the opportunity to set up shop beside the footpath.
Their stall is selling bracelets, earrings and claw clips from their table just down the path from where volunteers stood brandishing how to vote cards.
12.30PM CANDIDATES BATTLING ON
Erchana Murray-Bartlett, the high-profile Climate 200-linked independent candidate for McPherson, said she was confident the result in the southern Gold Coast seat would come down to preferences.
The ultra-marathon runner is hoping to beat LNP candidate Leon Rebello in the seat which the Coalition has held for more than seven decades despite it sitting on a 9.6 per cent margin.
Despite this Ms Murray-Bartlett’s own how to vote card are blank.
“We have a blank how to vote card because, you know, as an independent, we don’t want to tell people how to vote,” she said.
“We are, explaining to everyone that it is a very important thing – preferential voting- and that you’ve got to number every box per your values.”
On the Greens how to vote card, Ms Murray-Bartlett is listed second, on Labor’s she is listed fifth, and on the LNP’s she is listed 11th.
McPherson was previously held by Karen Andrews who is retiring after nearly 15 years in parliament.
Ms Murray-Bartlett said there was an “appetite for change” in the southern seat.
“I feel like today is the pinnacle of seven months of hard work,” she said.
“There’s a big appetite here for change on the Gold Coast.
“I think people are realising that we are being taken for granted here and there is no benefit to being a safe seat, and people are looking to see that change.”
The seat of McPherson has 12 candidates running – the most of any federal electorate in Queensland – which Ms Murray-Bartlett said is symptom of a retiring incumbent and a changing demographic.
“We’re the sixth-largest city in Australia now and the fastest growing economy, and people are noticing that despite these economic contributions that our needs are being overlooked.”
Large lines are being reported at many major polling booths, with some voters saying they were waiting up to 20 minutes to get inside to cast their ballots.
Among those who voted at Nerang High School was Moncrieff MP Angie Bell and her partner Ros Franklin.
The couple voted at 11.30am, with the MP hoping to secure a third term in parliament, having been first elected in the safe LNP seat in 2019.
Ms Bell praised Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and urged voters not to back Labor or minor parties.
“It’s very exciting to travel around Moncrieff and meet as many voters as possible on election day and I have been warmly welcomed across the whole electorate,” she said.
“I think the danger is if we face a Labor/Greens/teals minority government it would be disastrous for the nation and the cost of living will go even higher.
“If the Prime Minister finds himself in that position and he can’t pass bills through the Senate then we will be back at the polls again very soon and I don’t think the public would be happy with that.
“I think Peter Dutton has been a very strong leader with a vision for our nation.”
10AM EARLY VOTING
Fadden MP Cameron Caldwell says the LNP is facing an uphill battle to take back government in today’s election.
All published opinion polls favour the incumbent Labor government to be returned by voters for a second term but the MP, who is hoping to be elected for a full-term in his own right on Saturday, said he felt a “mood for change”.
“It was always going to be an uphill battle to win from Opposition after one term,” he said.
“I feel confident the message we have been sending to the Australian people that there is a different and better way to govern Australia is resonating.
“It is always great to be out on election day to meet with those people you place your trust in to make decisions about representation.
“There is a mood for change to get Australia back on track and the only poll that matters is the one which will be counted after 6pm tonight.”
Mr Caldwell and his wife Lauren voted together at Coomera River State School just before 8.30am.
More than 40 people were lined up and ready to enter the polling booth before doors opened at 8am
Similar big lines have been reported at polling booths across the city.
Polls are open and the voters are flooding in @GCBulletinpic.twitter.com/bGaXLuvWxR
— Andrew Potts (@GCS_Pottsy) May 2, 2025
At The Lott cafe at Robina, just down the road from Robina State School, some voters had come straight from the polling booth.
Kaity Boyd, 28, from Currumbin said the most important issues for her in this election were protecting women’s rights in workplaces and the housing crisis.
Also enjoying a coffee at The Lott, were Ashleigh, 31, and Rob, 35, from Beenleigh.
Rob said he was concerned by extreme right-leaning rhetoric from the Liberal Party towards the end of the election.
“I feel like it was just leading super right Trumpist at the end, trying to sort of get those votes, and I’m just not for that at all,” he said.
As a social worker, Ashleigh said she was most concerned about social justice, and housing.
“I don’t think any government’s going to get it right, but I’m definitely leaning away from the Liberals” she said.
Chloe, who is on holiday from Western Australia on election day, said she votes based on which party will support the mining industry, as that’s what her family’s livelihood depends on.
“I’m a bit disillusioned with it all, I feel like it doesn’t make a lot of difference,” she said.
“I’d like to be more across what’s happening politically, but I find it all just confuses me.
“I don’t want to make a mistake but also I feel like my vote doesn’t count.”
Fadden’s Caldwell was grim about Coalition chances before count
Former city councillor turned LNP’s Fadden MP Cameron Caldwell tempered expectations of a Coalition victory after voting on Saturday before the count began. FOLLOW THE RESULTS
‘Thank you Moncrieff’: Bell retains central seat for third time
Incumbent LNP Member for Moncrieff Angie Bell is celebrating winning a third-term in her central Gold Coast seat.