Federal Election 2019: The Queensland results that could determine election outcome

The Adani battle has hurt Labor's chances of picking up seats in Queensland with the Sunshine State a sea of blue as the Coalition surges toward an unlikely and unexpected victory. FOLLOW IT LIVE

Caitlin Smith Tanya French Jesse Kuch and Darryl Passmore

3 min read

May 18, 2019 - 9:04PM

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The Adani battle has hurt Labor's chances of picking up seats in Queensland with the Sunshine State a sea of blue as the Coalition surges toward an unlikely and unexpected victory.

The controversial Adani coal mine project appears to have influenced much of Queensland to give their votes to the Coalition where a stack of marginal seats were up for grabs.

Senior Labor frontbencher Brendan O’Connor has blamed the heavy spending by Clive Palmer and his party and One Nation directing preferences to the LNP.

SEE HOW EVERY QUEENSLAND SEAT FELL

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Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton resisted the challenge of Labor’s Ali France and held the outer suburban seat of Dickson with a 1.3 per cent swing.

George Christensen, who was dubbed the MP for Manila for the number of days he spent visiting his fiancee in the Philippines, has been returned in Dawson without any problem.

The LNP has also claimed the Townsville seat of Herbert - won by Labor’s Cathy O’Toole in 2016 by just 37 votes - where Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party appears to have failed.

Ms O'Toole was a victim of the swing to the Coalition, losing Herbert to LNP's Phillip Thompson who benefited from a swing of 6.7 per cent.

The LNP has also retained the coastal seats of Flynn, Capricornia and Leichhardt.

Senior Labor senator Penny Wong told the ABC Queensland “is tough for us.”

She said climate change was a significant issue in the election, with the coalition talking about it in a scare campaign.

Liberal senator Arthur Sinodinos said the anti-Adani convoy, which drove through Queensland half-way through the campaign, annoyed Queenslanders.

“The Bob Brown caravan which went up there to talk about stopping Adani, had locals thinking, “Hang on, you are not going to tell us how to live”,” he told the ABC.

Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie told Nine she was not surprised that Mr Christensen had been returned.“He has been backing jobs in his electorate, and that is part of the fight,” she told Nine.

Former PM Tony Abbott lost his seat of Warringah to Independent candidate Zali Steggall. But Bill Shorten’s hopes of gaining seats in the Sunshine State faded quickly as poll results came in.

Former Prime Minister and Warringah Liberal candidate Tony Abbott is greeted by supporters as he enters before conceding defeat at Manly Leagues Club in Brookvale, Sydney. Photo: AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi)

The trend indicates that Labor’s prevarication over Adani’s Carmichael mine and other potential coal projects in the Galilee Basin has cost the party heavily in those areas which stand to benefit from jobs the resources initiatives would generate.

New Liberal MP Angie Bell in Moncrieff at the Broad beach Bowls club. Photograph : Jason O'Brien

The LNP gained Longman from Labor and comfortably held Petrie with a substantial swing.

The two seats north of Brisbane, which include Bribie Island and the Redcliffe Peninsula – both with high retiree populations who may well be reacting to Mr Shorten’s policies on negative gearing and franking credits.

Queensland was billed as a key battleground, with some MPs clinging to their seat by as little as 0.1 per cent with Bonner, Herbert, Forde, Dickson, Petrie, Capricornia, Flynn and Dawson all at risk of falling.

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The following Queensland seats have been called: