QLD election 2020 live results: Glimpse of LNP election party sums up severe loss

Former LNP leader Campbell Newman described the night as “bleak”, but one look at this photo explains it all.

Queensland Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington and her Liberal-National Party was handed a drubbing in the state election on Saturday night.

Labor pulled off hefty swings in a number of key electorates across the Sunshine State but it doesn’t take deep analysis to sum up the devastating blow to the conservative party.

One glimpse at the LNP’s post-election event says it all.

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Turn the lights down, team. Picture: Josh Woning

A group of supporters were captured standing around at the event at the Emporium Hotel in Brisbane, leaning on tables and looking glum.

The brightly lit room struggles to project commentators providing analysis from the The Courier-Mail’s newsroom.

Through the handful of heads, the word “majority” can be made out on the screen as the Labor Party surged ahead to a historic victory and another four years in power for Premier Palaszczuk.

Soon after the polls closed and the results started flowing in, the severity of the LNP’s loss became clear.

Labor snatched key seats such as Pumicestone and Caloundra, and the night was summed up perfectly by LNP’s former premier Campbell Newman who described it as “bleak”.

At midnight AEDT, Ms Palaszczuk’s red army had already surpassed the 47 needed for a majority government having declared victory in 50 seats with another 12 undecided.

Many pointed at the coronavirus crisis as the reason for the landslide victory, but Mr Newman rubbished this suggestion.

“The primary vote of the LNP has been below 40 per cent for quite a long time now,” he said.

Not happy, Newman. Picture: Josh Woning)

“Yes, it’s been challenging, but as I’ve said many times … there are plenty of things that could’ve been criticised about how the pandemic has been handled here.

“It was rich and fertile ground for political attack. It could’ve removed that advantage.”

To add insult to injury, Ms Frecklington awkwardly stepped on stage to concede to Ms Palaszczuk at the same time the premier was still delivering her victory speech across town.

“Some dope has got the Opposition Leader speaking at the same time as the Premier,” commentator Alan Jones said, describing the mix-up as “extraordinary”.

When delayed footage of Ms Frecklington’s concession was aired, the former lawyer refused to step down as party leader.

“Queenslanders have made their decision, and I thank each and every one of them for voting and for upholding our democracy,” she told a not-so-packed Emporium Hotel.

“This decision is respected by the Liberal National Party. And I am so proud of the campaign that we have fought.

“LNP is going to continue to hold the Palaszczuk government to account.

“We will speak up for those who have been forgotten and left behind. We’re going to fight for the families of this great state because families mean more than anything.”