Australian Federal Election 2019: Gold Coast voters set to decide who wins May 18 poll

As few as 6000 voters in a northern Gold Coast seat could determine the next Prime Minister, according to leading party strategists.

AS few as 6000 voters in the northern Gold Coast seat of Forde could determine the next Prime Minister, according to leading party strategists.

Both Labor and LNP experienced campaigners have backed the Bulletin ’s poll which show the major parties, after preferences, each have 50 per cent of the vote.

LNP MP Bert van Manen has a margin of only 0.6 per cent in the electorate north of the Coomera River which Labor must win to secure government.

Des Hardman and Bert van Manen

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The exclusive YouGov/Galaxy poll, undertaken on Monday and Tuesday nights, found 5 per cent of the 567 Forde residents polled were either uncommitted or refused to divulge their planned vote.

According to the Australian Electoral Commission, 107,272 people are eligible to vote in Forde.

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Labor insiders who are doorknocking suggest the number of uncommitted voters in the electorate could be slightly higher than 5 per cent.

Their tactic on election eve is to convince those voters to vote one for the ALP rather than preference them second as they choose a protest vote with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation or Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party.

Liberal member for Forde Bert van Manen and Prime Minister Scott Morrison. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

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Forde is seen as a “must-win” seat by both major parties.

With Labor expected to seize a swag of Victorian seats and the LNP holding strong in Queensland, the votes in super marginal seats such as Forde will determine who forms government.

Gold Coast-based Labor Senator Murray Watt told the Bulletin: “I think what the poll shows is Forde is extremely close. The poll backs up what the feeling is on the ground. I think there are still a large number of people who are undecided.”

Mr van Manen said he was planning a last-minute blitz of the seat to win every vote he could, including doorknocking and meeting voters at pre-polling stations.

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Labor's candidate for Forde Des Hardman (AAP Image/Dan Peled)

“It was always going to be tight, just like it is now. You always get a variety of responses (from voters),” he said.

“My message to votes is they have a clear choice between a Scott Morrison Government, lowering taxes while funding the health and education services and infrastructure required for a rapidly growing community.

“This is opposed to the Bill Shorten government that wishes to increase taxes, increase rents and lower house prices. This will be an economic disaster for the community of Forde and Australia.”

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Labor Forde candidate Des Hardman yesterday visited the Coomera train station in the morning, switched back to the pre-polling booth at Helensvale before returning north to contact residents.

“I think we anticipated it was going to be very close. We’ve kept our shoulder to the wheel, gone as hard as we can,” he said.

“I’ve relentlessly campaigned throughout the last 12 months to get to as many people as I can, and have a conversation with them. The only way to get there is hard work.”

One Nation and its Forde candidate Ian Bowron did not respond to requests for comment by the Bulletin.