Federal election 2019: Why Queensland turned its back on Labor and helped deliver a Coalition win

Queensland has essentially gifted Scott Morrison the election, overwhelmingly rejecting a Bill Shorten-led government. Here’s what caused voters to turn their backs on Labor.

Queensland essentially gifted Scott Morrison the election, overwhelmingly rejecting a Bill Shorten-led Labor government.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton - who was tipped to potentially be one of the biggest Coalition scalps of the election - praised Mr Morrison’s “amazing leadership” as he claimed victory in his marginal seat of Dickson last night.

The Sunshine state swung behind the Coalition last night, with no LNP members losing their seats.

But Labor suffered swings of more than 10 per cent against them in some seats.

Queensland essentially gifted Scott Morrison the election, overwhelmingly rejecting a Bill Shorten-led Labor government. Picture: Getty Images

A number of “safe” ALP seats in Queensland have now turned marginal, including former Treasurer Wayne Swan’s seat of Lilley and Graham Perrett’s seat of Moreton.

The LNP picked up at least two seats from Labor in Queensland, Longman and Herbert.

It looks set to hold its marginal seats of Brisbane, Flynn, Bonner, Petrie, Forde, Dawson, and Capricornia.

Capricornia Liberal MP Michelle Landry said the massive swing towards her was “beyond belief”.

FEDERAL

2019

brisbane

sydney

melbourne

She said she owed her success to a convoy of anti-Adani protesters, which descended on central Queensland last month.

“Thank you Bob Brown is all I can say,” she said.

And Labor frontbencher Shayne Neumann could potentially lose his seat of Blair, despite going in to the election with an 8.1 per cent margin.

Labor suffered swings of more than 10 per cent against them in some seats. Picture: Kym Smith

Herbert, the most marginal seat in the country, was one of a number of Labor seats to fall to the Coalition across the country.

One Nation preference flows helped the LNP’s Phillip Thompson snatch the Townsville-centric seat from Labor’s Cathy O’Toole, with Pauline Hanson’s party claiming about 11 per cent of the primary vote by 9.30pm.

Claiming victory before 10pm last night, Mr Dutton attributed the LNP’s strong vote in Queensland to Mr Morrison’s “amazing leadership”.

“He’s distilled our message down to one which the Australian people understand,” Mr Dutton said.

“He’s been able to campaign in marginal seats, he’s been able to put pressure on Bill Shorten, which is what Bill Shorten deserved.

“And to Scott Morrison’s great credit right across this great country, he’s been able to spread a message of our vision for the future of this country, and people have overwhelmingly accepted that.”

Labor’s uncertain position on the Adani coalmine is likely to have impacted the party’s vote in Queensland. Picture: Getty Images

Concern about jobs, Labor’s plan to axe tax refunds for franking credits and the ALP’s uncertain position on the Adani coalmine impacted the party’s vote in Queensland.

Penny Wong said the state had been tough for Labor.

“It’s been tough in Queensland for a fair while for Labor federally,” she said.

“We’ve had state Labor governments but that hasn’t, other than in ‘07, translated into a strong federal vote.”

Liberal Senator Arthur Sinodinos said the coalition’s jobs message cut through in Queensland.

“I think the story’s in two parts. I think north Queensland and central Queensland … Adani became about jobs,” he said.

“The Bob Brown caravan which went up there to talk about stopping Adani, had the effect of making a lot of locals say ‘hang on, you are not going to tell us how to live’.

Peter Dutton - who was tipped to potentially be one of the biggest Coalition scalps of the election - praised Mr Morrison’s “amazing leadership” as he claimed victory. Picture: AAP

Labor’s primary vote plunged 4.29 per cent in Queensland - one of its worst results across the country.

On two-party terms, the LNP’s vote jumped 3.64 per cent in Queensland.

Concern about jobs, Labor’s plan to axe tax refunds for franking credits and the ALP’s uncertain position on the Adani coalmine all contributed to the party’s vote crashing in the state.

The key marginal seats in play were Petrie, Bonner, Capricornia, Dawson, Flynn, Forde, Herbert and Dickson.

The LNP’s primary vote remained steady or jumped in each of the seats, while One Nation was a clear kingmaker in a number of the electorates.

Originally published as Federal election 2019: Why Queensland turned its back on Labor and helped deliver a Coalition win