The LNP’s secret strategy to target Jackie Trad after Currumbin by-election success

Labor in its poll post-mortem is examining the negative impact of their Treasurer.

THE Currumbin by-election has put the spotlight on Jackie Trad. Just look at signage on booth fencing. Labor in its poll post-mortem is examining the negative impact of their Treasurer.

The Bulletin seized on the LNP’s political messaging after visiting the Palm Beach Currumbin High School booth on polling day last Saturday. Supporters of Labor’s candidate Kaylee Campradt would have been devastated.

Signage by the LNP in Currumbin by-election outside a polling booth.

The LNP signage branded Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk as “weak” and Trad, pictured next to her, as “dodgy Jackie”.

At the front of the booth entrance was a sign of Campradt and Trad that warned voters not to “reward Labor”. The LNP, like others, could not hand out how-to-votes – but they didn’t need to.

Trad did not visit the electorate during the campaign; the Premier appeared a few times along with several Ministers, some from the Left, others like Kate Jones from Labor Unity. Party sources say Campradt is not in a faction. But here she was collateral damage.

LNP signage in the Currumbin by-election targeted Treasurer Jackie Trad as dodgy and Labor candidate Kaylee Campradt paid the price for its effectiveness. .

In a big hint to how it will campaign in the State poll in October, the LNP linked Campradt to Trad, who the Opposition continue to target in state parliament about her rental property close to Cross River Rail. The State corruption watchdog has found no evidence of corruption but criticised the Treasurer’s failure to properly declare the property.

LNP sources say the campaign to put the spotlight on Trad will continue, and suggest the unions had done surveying on the Treasurer to find the level of discontent with her performance by the electorate.

“Palaszczuk is not travelling so bad but you put Palaszczuk next to Trad and she is toxic,” an LNP source said. “We’d like Jackie Trad to stay as long as possible. She is the best thing for the LNP.”

Signage for Kaylee Campradt in the Currumbin by-election.

All of this could be construed as the LNP trying to divert attention way from Deb Frecklington’s leadership – except Labor’s sources back up the findings.

“That surveying is 100 per cent correct,” a Labor source says. “Palaszczuk is not travelling bad at all, but not Trad.”

The source says Labor is assessing the Trad factor in the Currumbin poll. The LNP’s Laura Gerber polled 43.7 per cent, Campradt 38.44 per cent, One Nation’s Bettany Nicholas 6.9 per cent and the Greens’ Sally Spain 10.86 per cent.

Labor’s vote in 2017 was 35.63 per cent, and the LNP’s Jann Stuckey, who retired forcing the by-election, received 47.69 per cent. The Greens’ David Wyatt secured 11.72 per cent.

So the ALP improved its vote but the Greens vote dropped. At the pre-poll they often had no representation or how-to-votes. One Nation preferences went to the LNP.

Jackie Trad at parliament. Picture: Annette Dew

“How can the ALP run a nearly flawless local campaign and lose?” the Labor source asks.

“Jackie Trad was the difference. The LNP did a good job in framing Trad, and making it a choice between Jackie Trad and the LNP.

“It was close in the end. The amount of Trad propaganda provided by the LNP was immense. It’s impossible to think it didn’t have an impact.”

Labor cannot ignore what happened in Currumbin. It must find a strategy or solution quickly here, or the loss will be repeated across other marginal seats in the State and its MPs will be on the Opposition benches before Christmas.