Queensland Election results 2017: Labor claims win in far north seat of Cook

LNP frontbencher Scott Emerson has conceded defeat in the newly created Brisbane seat of Maiwar, meaning the race is now down to Labor’s Ali King and The Greens’ Michael Berkman. LATEST ELECTION NEWS

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LNP frontbencher Scott Emerson has conceded defeat as counting continues in his seat of Maiwar, in Brisbane’s western suburbs.

The race for the seat is now between Labor’s Ali King and The Greens’ Michael Berkman. SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LATEST ELECTION RESULTS COVERAGE While Mr Emerson has bowed out, LNP Leader Tim Nicholls says he has not given up on the election and he called on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to rule out forming government with anyone else should she fall short of the 47 seats required to form a majority. LNP insiders say they are still capable of winning up to 43 seats in the election, despite current projections making it seem unlikely. Mr Nicholls was also cautious when asked his thoughts on Federal LNP members who labelled One Nation “toxic.” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk remains confident she will win enough seats to form a majority government, even though the vote count is set to continue today. The party has claimed the seat of Cook in far norther Queensland. Candidate Cynthia Lui, has won the seat formerly held by Billy Gordon, will become the first Torres Strait Islander to be elected to Queensland Parliament. Ms Palaszczuk returned to work yesterday, while Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls kept out of sight. So far Labor has won 43 of the 47 seats it needs to form a majority government, while the LNP has secured just 36. Ms Palaszczuk’s party is expected to win 48, but nearly a dozen still hang in the balance. A definitive result could be several days away, with postal and pre-poll votes yet to be counted. The Queensland Electoral Commission confirmed 800,000 people voted before election day on November 25. Meanwhile, former Cairns MP Rob Pyne plans to go on the dole while he works out his post-politics future — in his words, “the fate of an honest politician”. The departing independent Cairns MP has sunk his heart and finances into his unsuccessful campaign to retain the seat he won under Labor’s patronage in 2015. “We’ll have to see where life takes us,” he told The Cairns Post. “I’ll probably head down to Centrelink.”

Originally published as Queensland Election results 2017: Labor claims win in far north seat of Cook