Major parties on the nose in volatile seat of Forde but status quo set to remain
Despite backlash over the vaccine rollout, swinging voters in the bellwether electorate of Forde say they are content with the status quo. PLAY THE VIDEO: HEAR WHAT THEY TOLD US
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If the federal election were held in the last week of March in the volatile Queensland swinging booth areas of Waterford, Mt Warren Park and Loganholme, Scott Morrison and his government would attract strong support.
An overwhelming number of voters Albert & Logan News spoke with at the three locations said they did not like either of the two major parties but would vote to keep the status quo, even though they did not know the name of their local MP.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese was unknown in the three areas with the majority of voters saying they were content with the current government, even though they did not like “ScoMo”.
More than half surveyed at three shopping centres in each area, blamed Mr Morrison for “mistakes” with the vaccine rollout, slip-ups with submarine purchases and arguing with Vladimir Putin.
Mt Warren Park, Waterford and Loganholme, three historically volatile booths, have gone with government every year since 2004 except in 2010, when there was a hung parliament and voters in the three areas opted for the Liberal candidate, Bert van Manen, who is still the sitting MP.
About 70 per cent of shoppers at Mt Warren Park IGA, a middle-class suburb where the total median age is 39 and median income is about $50,000, said they had not decided how they would vote.
However, accounts manager Esther Goldsworthy, 43, from Mt Warren Park said she had made up her mind and would likely vote Liberal to return sitting MP Bert van Manen.
“I don’t like the Greens or what they stand for and I think Labor will have to side with the Greens to get what they want,” Ms Goldsworthy said.
“I think the cost of living will rise under the ALP and records show the LNP are better with the economy.”
At nearby Waterford, where the median age is 33, and the median income is $31,512, voters were more circumspect but about a third said they would vote Labor.
The majority of shoppers interviewed at Waterford Plaza, in the heart of a Labor-held state seat, said they did not like either of the major parties.
Full-time carer Lurlene Howard, 44, of Bethania, said she believed all politicians “spouted propaganda”.
“I don’t like either ScoMo or the other guy whoever he is. I don’t think ScoMo is doing a great job and I would definitely change my vote from LNP if there was someone worth voting for.”
Carol Sharpe, a 73-year-old retiree from Waterford also said she did not trust politicians.
“I haven’t made up my mind yet but none of the big parties is doing anything for pensioners.
“At the end of the week, I’m left with $400 to pay rent, food, petrol, insurance and medical bills.”
Similar sentiments were echoed at Loganholme, where the median age is 35.4 and median total income is $52,021.
People at Clarks Rd IGA said they felt like a change in government and were inclined not to vote for Scott Morrison’s party.
However, most did not know the name of the local MP and had no idea about any of the announced candidates.
It will be the first election for 18-year-old rigger Zac Goold-Davies.
“I don’; t know a lot about federal politics but I definitely don’t like ScoMo and I don’t know the other guy,” he said.
“I’ll vote for anyone, just not ScoMo.”
Eight seats in southeast Queensland have volatile voters, who will play a large role in determining the makeup of the next government, with the country destined to head to the polls before the end of May.
There are 106 bellwether booths across the country, which have picked every election since 2004.
Roy Morgan statistics this week showed the Coalition was leading the Labor Party in polling in Queensland by 54.5 per cent compared to the ALP on 43.5 per cent.
Political experts are focusing on four outer metropolitan electorates including the bellwether seat of Forde, even though the election is yet to be called and not all candidates have been announced.
The Liberal Party Coalition sitting member Mr van Manen will face the Labor Party’s Rowan Holzberger.
Mr van Mannen has held the seat since 2010 and grew up in the area.
Mr Holzberger, who also grew up in the area, ran a construction company 15 years ago but now works in the office of Labor Senator Murray Watt.
Outsiders in the Forde race include United Australia Party candidate Roxanne O’Halloran and Greens candidate Jordan Hall.
If One Nation ran a candidate in the seat, Sportsbet had them to win at $51 along with any independent candidate.
Linda McCarthy is running for the Animal Justice Party.
FORDE: (bellwether) 8.6% margin LNP
HELD: LNP Bert van Manen since 2010 with an 8 per cent margin.
LNP: Bert van Manen (sitting LNP)
ALP: Rowan Holzberger
GREENS: Jordan Hall
UAP: Roxanne O’Halloran
TNL: Samuel Holland
AJP: Linda McCarthy
RANKIN Safe Labor 6.4% margin
ALP: HELD Jim Chalmers Shadow Treasurer
LNP: No candidate
GREENS: Neil Cotter
UAP: Jeffery Crank
PHON: Glen Cookson
AJP: Suzanne Clarke
BOWMAN
VACANT: Andrew Laming won’t contest
LNP: Henry Pike
ALP: Donisha Duff
GREENS: Ian Mazlin
UAP: Mary-Jane Stevens
TNL: Phil Johnson
AJP: No
Originally published as Major parties on the nose in volatile seat of Forde but status quo set to remain
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