Minor parties go backwards in surprise election shock

All three of Queensland’s bigger minor parties have gone backwards in a shock result few saw coming, with One Nation’s future as a political force now in question.

All three of Queensland’s minor parties have gone ­backwards in the election in a result few saw coming.

Katter’s Australia Party, which as recently as this week was tipped to pick up two Townsville seats, looked to have fallen short there, as well as probably losing Mirani.

That scenario would leave it with just three seats.

ONP’s remaining great hope, controversial former Pauline Hanson staffer James Ashby, trailed in third spot in Keppel, well behind the LNP winner Nigel Hutton and ­second-placed Brittany Lauga who had previously held the seat for Labor.

The Greens, however, were the biggest minor party losers of the night, despite a strong showing in the affluent inner west seat of Maiwar, where sitting MP Michael Berkman was just ahead last night. Counting resumes after midday with preferences crucial.

Greens MP Amy MacMahon lost the seat of South Brisbane to Labor. Picture: Steve Pohlner

A resurgent Labor, freed of the negative influence of ex-deputy premier Jackie Trad, surged back to lead the count in South Brisbane on Saturday night.

At 10pm, with 41 per cent of the vote counted, Labor’s Barbara O’Shea had a strong lead with 58.1 per cent of the vote on a two-party-preferred basis.

There was a large prepoll vote but it would have to break strongly to the Greens for them to win.

A decision by the LNP to preference Labor over the Greens proved devastating for sitting South Brisbane Greens MP Amy MacMahon.

Ms MacMahon, who bravely battled back from serious ­injury in a car crash in February, won South Brisbane in 2020 with the help of LNP preferences after that party made a tactical decision to take down Ms Trad.

The Greens started the campaign with a wishlist of seven extra “winnable’’ seats – which the party then quietly whittled down to McConnel, Cooper, Greenslopes and ­Miller. They trailed in third spot in all four of them, although Grace Grace’s lead in her seat of McConnel could be wound back once the huge pre-poll vote was counted.

In the Ashgrove-based seat of Cooper, Greens hopeful Katinka Winston-Allom was soundly beaten by sitting Labor MP Jonty Bush despite massively outgunning her on billboards, yard signs and volunteers.

KAP leader and member for Traeger Robbie Katter in Mount Isa for his 2024 State Election party. Photo: Joanna Giemza-Meehan.

Former Labor transport minister Mark Bailey also came out a clear winner, trouncing Greens candidate Liam Flenady, a staffer for ­federal Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown.

Greenslopes had looked a risk to fall to the Greens’ ­Rebecca White but Labor’s Joe Kelly staged a surprisingly strong performance to win.

The Greens had also eyed off Moggill, for decades a blue ribbon LNP stronghold. But sitting MP Christian Rowan easily won it, again, for the LNP.

In North Queensland, KAP’s Stephen Andrew appeared to be one of his party’s victims of the night, trailing in the seat of Mirani west of Mackay.

However, KAP leader Robbie Katter easily held Traeger in Mount Isa while Shane Knuth was set to hold the Atherton Tablelands-based Hill and Nick Dametto looked safe in Hinchinbrook.

One Nation’s James Ashby refused on Saturday night to concede he had not won Keppel. Picture: Dan Peled / NewsWire

Mr Andrew, who recently moved to the KAP from One Nation, faced a strong challenge from the LNP’s Glen Kelly.

KAP had also hoped to win the far northern seat of Cook, but Duane Amos fell short despite a controversial sitting Labor MP.

Mr Katter last night said he believed Mr Andrew would get over the line even if there was a long count. “I just have a lot of faith in his grassroots approach to working his electorate and I think that will get him over the line,’’ he said.

Mr Katter said he believed there was a surge toward the LNP across the state and the KAP had still performed well in the face of it.

“Sometimes you get caught in these surges and there is nothing you can do about it.’’

Originally published as Minor parties go backwards in surprise election shock