Labor says Qld ‘highest priority’, Coalition to make state ground zero

The Sunshine State will be ground zero for the six-week election campaign, with Labor acknowledging Queensland is its highest priority and the Coalition setting up campaign headquarters in Brisbane for the second election in a row.

Queensland will be Labor’s “highest priority” this election as the party concedes it needs to “do much better” to win back blue-collar voters, with the Sunshine State set to also be ground zero for Scott Morrison’s campaign for another “miracle” election win.

The Coalition, signalling Queensland’s importance in holding government, has set up its campaign headquarters in inner-city Brisbane for the second election in a row as it attempts to keep its stronghold of the Sunshine State and put out electoral spot fires elsewhere across the country.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham, the Coalition’s most senior frontbencher in the Senate, will be the government’s spokesman in residence – setting up Queensland as the main stage for a lot of the economic debates against Labor’s treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers.

Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers talks ALP supporters at the Labor for Longman launch at Caboolture Central Sports Club. Picture: Lachie Millard

Mr Chalmers, launching the Longman campaign in Caboolture on Sunday, was quick to point out Labor knew it “needed to do much better in Queensland” and had “learnt the lessons” of the last campaign.

“We have made Queensland our highest priority when it comes to this election,” Mr Chalmers said.

“We spend a lot of time here because we take a better future for Queensland very seriously.”

The 2019 “miracle” election left the Prime Minister with a high watermark 23 out of 30 seats in Queensland, and the ­Coalition will need to hold everything it has by sand­bagging a number of at-risk seats.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton, Queensland’s most powerful Coalition MP, said the party knew the ­election would be a “seat-by-seat” fight.

“We have some great local members and we’ve got a prime minister that’s rolled his sleeves up and will fight and do the best for this country,” he said.

“But he’s got a credible team around him to be able to deliver on the economic needs of our country.

“That’s a very important consideration for people to make.”

It is anticipated Mr Dutton, whose own seat of Dickson is under less threat, will be more visible this campaign as the Coalition seeks to paint Labor as bad for national security.

Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Acting Premier Cameron Dick at the Caboolture Central Sports Club. Picture: Lachie Millard

Coalition insiders don’t think the party can pick up any more seats in Queensland, but will pump advertising dollars and campaign effort into the ultra-marginal Labor seats of Blair (1.21 per cent) and Lilley (0.64 per cent) to put up a fight.

Labor will be gunning for the LNP-held seats of Brisbane (4.92 per cent), Longman (3.28 per cent), Flynn (8.66 per cent) and Leichhardt (4.17 per cent).

Top of the list is Longman, which both sides believe is at most risk of turning red and where recent polling showed voters under 40 have the Coalition and Labor neck-and-neck on who is better at managing the economy.

The opposition has also been keeping a watching brief on the southside Brisbane seat of Ryan, which the LNP holds with a margin of 6 per cent.

The seat, which overlaps with the state electorate of Maiwar held by the Greens, has become at risk for the ­Coalition amid an increase of climate-concerned voters. ­

Climate change is expected to weigh very heavily on the mind of voters in the metropolitan seat of Brisbane, alongside women’s issues and integrity.

Responsibility for holding on to the Central Queensland seat of Flynn will fall to Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, with the Nationals leader expected to campaign heavily also in Capricornia and Dawson.

Longman locals Dot Hudson 71, Peter Patrikeos 80, and Sue Mitchell 65, at the Bribie Island Bowls Club. Picture: Lachie Millard

PUNTERS READY TO BE BOWLED OVER ON HEALTH

Between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, the swing seat of Longman is poised to be a key battleground for the upcoming ­federal election.

Healthcare is a top concern for Bribie Island Bowls Club members Dot Hudson, Peter Patrikeos and Sue Mitchell.

“There’s always been talk about hospitals and medical facilities on the island around election time, but they never seem to happen,” Ms Mitchell said.

“It would be nice to see something actually eventuate.”

Ms Hudson, 71, voted for incumbent Young in the last election and was planning to do the same this year. “He’s done a lot to get GPs here … He’s out doing something and being seen to do things around the community, rather than just sitting in his office,” Ms Hudson said.

“I don’t even know the lady that is going to be against Terry [Young]. I haven’t seen her, I don’t know if she’s a local or not … if they’re a local person, I think they care a lot more for the community.”

Healthcare amid the Covid-19 pandemic was also a top concern for the so-called “Palaszczuk’s pensioners”, who helped re-elect the Labor Queensland Premier in 2020.

Labor’s candidate for Longman is Rebecca Fanning, a Caboolture local running a campaign largely ­focused on healthcare.

Originally published as Labor says Qld ‘highest priority’, Coalition to make state ground zero