Queensland Election 2017: Greens councillor predicts swing in South Brisbane

BRISBANE’S only Greens councillor predicts his party will pick up votes in Brisbane, with anti-development and Adani sentiment running high in the inner-city electorates.

Green's candidate Amy MacMahon running for the seat of South Brisbane. Picture: AAP/Glenn Hunt

POLLING booths in inner-city Brisbane have become a protest against overdevelopment and the Adani mine.

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In East Brisbane, the community has been angered from homes being removed by Brisbane City Council to make way for the Wynnum Rd Corridor Upgrade and pleas for their local State Member Jackie Trad to intervene, particularly with land resumed from part of heritage-listed Mowbray Park.

#SouthBrisbane @QldGreens candidate @MacMahonAmy is going up against Jackie Trad ... can she topple the Deputy Premier? #qldvotes #qldvotes2017 #auspol #Queenslandelection #qldelection https://t.co/yxCKupKDId pic.twitter.com/k9vfNp9HcW

— The Courier-Mail (@couriermail) November 25, 2017

Local Greens councillor Jonathan Sri was confident there would be a shift to The Greens on the inner-city, particularly in the Deputy Premier’s seat of South Brisbane.

“Across the inner southside there’s been a surge in support for the Greens, particularly from people who are frustrated about overdevelopment and poor traffic planning,” Cr Sri said.

“I’ve been hearing a lot about people’s frustrations with the public transport system, the lack of frequency and reliability but also this sense that developers are running this town now.

Greens Councillor Jonathan Sri with South Brisbane candidate Amy MacMahon. Picture: AAP

“People are extremely frustrated because they feel there is one set of rules for the big developers and another set of rules for the ordinary residents and they recognise that both the major parties have a cosy relationship with the development industry and have consistently tended to place the interests of big developers ahead of the interests of the rest of the community and in that context I think we will see a big shift towards The Greens.”

Deputy Premier @jackietrad faces a big fight to retain her #SouthBrisbane seat today, with stiff competition from the Greens #qldelection #auspol #qldvotes #QldVotes2017 #live @Brendo1966 https://t.co/yxCKupKDId pic.twitter.com/3m4lrOoK1I

— The Courier-Mail (@couriermail) November 25, 2017

In McConnel, Greens volunteers are hawking one number to voters to get their candidate over the line.

“It’s only 642 votes between the Greens and Labor so your vote is incredibly important,” one of the volunteers said.

Greens candidate Kirsten Lovejoy, sitting Labor MP Grace Grace and LNP candidate Jamie Forster were all at New Farm State School this morning and each believed they had a shot at winning.

The Greens are going hard in the seat of McConnel. Picture: Supplied

Ms Lovejoy’s run for office a few times and said she was “managing her expectations”.

“Recognising that I shouldn’t exist in my own little bubble, it is more favourable this year than it’s ever been,” she said.

She said she’d heard from “rusted on” voters from other parties that they were fed up and voting Greens for the first time.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls was swamped by anti-Adani protesters when he arrived at an inner Brisbane church to cast his state election vote.

Mr Nicholls and wife Mary were heckled by chanting “Stop Adani” protesters as they stopped outside the St John’s Anglican Church in Hendra.

In the regions, it’s a different story.

Angry LNP Whitsundays MP Jason Costigan said he has been hounded by Greens in the marginal electorate.

“They’re jumping all over us like rabid dogs on heat,’’ Mr Costigan, who won the seat by 220 votes at the last election, said.

“These ecoterrorists are playing up like second-hand lawnmowers.

“The Greens want to verbal us, grandstand and make a big scene as everyone comes into vote.

“We’ve got six candidates up here but this rent-a-crowd mob are treating it like a mosh pit at a bush rave.’’

Originally published as Queensland Election 2017: Greens councillor predicts swing in South Brisbane