Labor’s Terri Butler concedes defeat in Griffith to hand Greens another Queensland seat

The Green wave in Queensland has claimed another prominent scalp as the party prepares to provide an unprecedented number of MPs to parliament.

Labor ministerial hopeful Terri Butler is the latest major party MP to be swept away in a ‘Greenslide’ that has altered the political landscape of Queensland and the wider nation.

Ms Butler on Sunday conceded she had lost Griffith – Kevin Rudd’s old seat – to Greens first-timer Max Chandler-Mather as the minor party vote surged across Brisbane at the expense of Labor and LNP incumbents.

“I wish the new Member well in delivering on all the promises he has made,” Ms Butler tweeted on Sunday afternoon, not mentioning Mr Chandler-Mather by name.

Max Chandler-Mather has won the Brisbane seat of Griffith for the Greens, ousting Labor’s Terri Butler. Picture: Richard Walker

The Greens on Monday were on track for an unprecedented three lower house seats in Queensland – and two senate spots – and the party looks set to hold the balance of power in a parliament led by new Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The Greens and teal independents enjoyed a particularly strong showing at the weekend’s vote and will likely dominate a huge progressive crossbench that will challenge Mr Albanese to do more on climate matters.

Greens leader Adam Bandt easily retained his seat in Melbourne and the party was pushing Labor hard in Macnamara.

There was a 12.5 per cent swing to Mr Chandler-Mather in Griffith, who told a jubilant crown on Saturday night that they did “not have to settle for the political status quo”.

“Let’s be very clear, we are only just getting started,” the Greens political strategist said.

Hi everyone. On the count so far it seems clear that I will not be returned as the Member for Griffith.

I wish the new Member well in delivering on all the promises he has made.

— Terri M. Butler (@terrimbutler) May 22, 2022

“Think about how far we’ve come and imagine were we can go over the next 10 to 15 years if we continue on this trajectory.

“The biggest asset that the political establishment has is low expectations. Well tonight, we raised those expectations.”

The Greens vote in inner Brisbane has been steadily rising over the past few years, with the party already boasting two city-based state MPs and a member on the Brisbane City Council.

The party enjoyed a national swing of about two points towards it on first preferences at the weekend in what many chalk up to fears around climate inaction.

Former Labor environment spokeswoman Terri Butler has lost her seat AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

It was quickly clear on Saturday that candidate Elizabeth Watson-Brown had booted LNP member Julian Simmonds out of the leafy western Brisbane seat of Ryan, while Penny Allman-Payne is likely to join Larissa Waters as a Queensland Greens Senate representative.

LNP member for Brisbane Trevor Evans on Monday was also staring down defeat to Greens candidate Stephen Bates.

Mr Evans has not yet conceded, but trails badly on a two-party preferred basis.

Despite holding Griffith by a narrow margin, Ms Butler was no doubt eyeing a ministerial position in an Albanese-led government after served as the party’s environment spokeswoman since 2019.

But voters instead turned to Mr Chandler-Mather in a suburb that has been badly affected by recent flooding.

Griffith, which has been held by Labor for 25 years, was just one of two Labor seats that fell at the weekend as the party’s primary vote slipped to 32 per cent.

Kristina Keneally was resoundly rejected by voters in Fowler after she was parachuted in over a local candidate.

That said, the backlash against the ruling Coalition was even more severe, and Labor’s significant gains in Western Australia and Victoria currently appear strong enough for the party to seize a slim majority.

Originally published as Labor’s Terri Butler concedes defeat in Griffith to hand Greens another Queensland seat