Queensland’s political future played out in Nerang dance studio as Gaven count goes on
THE political future of Queensland is being played out in a Nerang dance studio where the Gaven result will determine if Labor rules with a majority.
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UPDATE: THE fortunes of the LNP and Labor in the closely watched seat of Gaven are swinging wildly with both sides today recording wins and loses.
LNP received a boost after counting continued early this morning in the major booth at Pacific Pines.
Labor scrutineers estimate LNP candidate Sid Cramp obtained an extra 140 to 150 votes after the count.
But LNP scrutineers were even more confident, forecasting their overall lead against Labor’s Michael Riordan was more than 400 votes.
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The momentum changed again by 10.30am after the notional preference count for the Nerang PCYC booth.
Labor estimates it recorded a 322-116 win against the LNP at the booth, which meant the overall lead by the LNP was only 190 votes.
Both parties were back to where they had started at the beginning of the day.
The outcome in the northern Coast electorate, as reported earlier today by the Bulletin, could determine the political future of Queensland with Labor on 42 seats requiring 45 to rule with a majority.
At the close of counting yesterday, the LNP’s Sid Cramp was 193 votes ahead of Labor’s Michael Crandon.
On the primary vote, Mr Cramp had polled just more than 38 per cent and Mr Riordan almost 30 with the sitting MP Independent Alex Douglas only obtaining 13 per cent of the vote.
As Electoral Commission staff began a notional preferential count, it emerged that Mr Cramp was on 50.03 per cent on a two-party preferred basis with Mr Riordan trailing on 48.97 per cent.
The scrutineers disagree about what will happen when more booths at Nerang and Worongary are counted.
Both parties are confident of picking up preference votes on these booths aware of their performance from the primary vote.
The Bulletin understands about 72 per cent of the vote has been counted with postal votes and those residents who gave declaration votes last Saturday likely to be critical to the outcome.
EARLIER: THE political future of Queensland is being played out in a vacant dance studio in the Nerang backblocks where electoral commission staff are counting votes in the tense contest for Gaven.
The Pacific Ballroom, hidden among warehouses in Lawrence Drive, is a venue where couples learn to dance for their wedding day.
Since Saturday night’s shock election result, the ballroom has been “strictly politics” as Labor candidate Michael Riordan and the LNP’s Sid Cramp, and a handful of their scrutineers, watch over two electoral commission staff counting preferences.
At the close of counting for the day last night, Mr Cramp was only 193 votes ahead of Mr Riordan.
With four of 37 booths decided, Mr Cramp has 4798 votes and his Labor counterpart 4605.
The counting of preferences, pre-poll and postage votes will continue today.
Exhausted candidates and supporters at first struggled to find the hidden ballroom, only to enter and discover a full-length dress mirror, shiny varnished floor and drop lights.
When the Bulletin arrived, a Labor scrutineer said: “The Government rides on what happens in this room. It could come down to a handful of votes.”
An LNP scrutineer, noting all the media attention was on Brisbane and central Queensland electorates in play, added: “This (Gaven) is about (who forms) the Government. Both parties know that.”
Labor is close to winning the necessary 45 seats to form government in its own right. It has 42 with six seats in the balance. The LNP has secured 38 seats and is projected to end up with 41 in total.
The rest of the 89-seat parliament is likely to be made up by two members of Katter’s Australian Party, Independent Peter Wellington and possibly One Nation’s Pauline Hanson.
Just after 1.30pm yesterday, Mr Cramp and Mr Riordan shook hands as electoral commission staffers finally began the count of their preferences which for the first time could determine a two-party preferred vote.
Mr Cramp said: “ I think it’s very loose, the preference flow from all the candidates.”
Independent Gaven MP Dr Alex Douglas, after conceding on Saturday night, predicted Mr Riordan would win because he had directed preferences to the ALP.
Scrutineers and candidates late yesterday gathered around a table like poker players where they could challenge commission staff as they placed ballots into bundles.
On the primary vote, Mr Cramp had polled just more than 38 per cent and Mr Riordan almost 30 per cent with Dr Douglas securing only 13 per cent of support.
As counting continued so did the maths equations for scrutineers, who estimated 113 votes out of 355 in three booths for Dr Douglas preferenced Labor. The two-party preferred vote registered for the first time had Mr Cramp on 51.03 per cent and Mr Riordan on 48.97 per cent.
Mr Riordan told the Bulletin: “It’s down to the wire. It’s incredibly close. It will come down to postal votes.”
This electoral dance may continue for several days before there is a winner.
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