Gold Coast council poll: The moment which killed it for the LNP in Currumbin

Smart political campaigners say it is all about the messaging. Like the M1 at peak hour at Tugun, one sentence stopped everyone in their tracks during the Currumbin by-election.

SMART political campaigners say it is all about the messaging. Like the M1 at peak hour at Tugun, one sentence stopped everyone in their tracks during the Currumbin by-election.

“Currumbin is a very connected community, they do not like blow-ins,” retiring LNP MP Jann Stuckey said of her party’s candidate Laura Gerber.

Labor candidate for Currumbin, Kaylee Campradt, in her electorate and with her campaign truck. Picture Glenn Hampson

On national radio, on 4BC’s Alan Jones show Ms Stuckey also said about party leaders: “I heard from my colleagues they wanted a skirt, any skirt will do”.

But it was the remark about ‘blow-in” which stuck – even if it’s not quite on the money.

Friends on the southern Coast who are LNP voters told me: “That Kaylee Campradt, from Labor, she’s got her truck parked every day at Currumbin Rock. I’m not sure what the blow-in is doing.”

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Election. LNP's Laura Gerber casts her vote at Elanora State High School. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

The truth is Ms Gerber moved her young family back into the electorate in January last year. She spent her childhood afternoons at Rainbow Bay. Her family lived at Terranora.

A young lawyer focused on social justice, a mother in touch with others at the pre-school gate, she had the right mix of the smarts and relaxed sociability to knock on doors during the campaign — and she handled Ms Stuckey, who was battling health issues, with grace.

Ms Campradt is heavily invested in the Parents and Citizens Association, the RSL and surf clubs, more than decade on the ground — strong, experienced person to have in a crisis.

Former Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey. Picture David Clark.

Labor kept presenting “the local” and Ms Campradt staged a positive, friendly campaign about protecting her “village”.

The complexities of Green preferences to Labor and whether postal votes help the LNP after posting out information forms will determine who wins here.

Ms Stuckey will retire now and not be a factor in the October State election.

But some of her loyal branch members could. Late yesterday they were emailing this reporter, still furious about Ms Gerber’s preselection saying they had wanted Ms Stuckey’s preferred candidate Chris Crawford.

“Ms Gerber had never attended a branch meeting, how could I support someone I did not know, this preselection was a stitch up from the start,” a member wrote.

“There needs to be a clean out of the so-called leaders running the LNP in Queensland if the LNP are to regain government in Queensland at the next election.

“I value my vote and this is the first time I have ever voted informal, I voted this way as a protest against the lack of leadership and as a protest in not having a say in who my candidate should be for the seat of Currumbin.”

Labor in the State poll given the state of the economy faces a mountain of a task in retaining government.

But down at Currumbin, by building an even stronger profile for Ms Campradt in this campaign, the next poll in this electorate is a stroll up Elephant Rock.

Even if the ALP loses the first round of this political war, it is in the prime position to win the next battle and retain a seat which one belonged to the party.