Margie Nightingale set to replace Annastacia Palaszczuk in Inala

A Labor staffer and former teacher is almost certain to be elected in the southwestern Brisbane seat being vacated by Annastacia Palaszczuk, but party strategists are bracing for a swing to the LNP.

Margie Nightingale.

A Labor staffer and former teacher is almost certain to be elected in the southwestern Brisbane seat being vacated by Annastacia Palaszczuk, but party strategists are bracing for a swing to the Liberal National Party.

Margie Nightingale has been chosen as Labor’s candidate in the seat of Inala – the party’s safest seat in the state – with a by-election to be held on March 16.

Brought up by a single mother in housing commission, Ms Nightingale was the first person in her family to go to university and worked as a nurse and teacher before becoming an adviser to federal Speaker Milton Dick and later to his brother, Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick.

Like Ms Palaszczuk, Ms Nightingale is a member of the Australian Workers’ Union, which controls the seat.

Mr Palaszczuk won Inala with a 28.2 per cent two-party-preferred margin and 67.4 per cent of the primary vote in 2020, but Labor strategists are expecting a drop in support after huge swings against Labor in by-elections to replace outgoing premiers Daniel Andrews and Mark McGowan.

“There will definitely be a swing against us, that is fully expected,” a senior Labor source said. “It has been a long time since there was anyone but a Palaszczuk on the ballot.”

Ms Palaszczuk’s resignation on December 31 ended 40 years of her family’s dominance in the ultra-safe seat.

Henry Palaszczuk held Inala, formerly Archerfield, from 1984 and served as a minister in Peter Beattie’s government. Between father and daughter, they won 14 consecutive elections.

Ms Nightingale was the only Labor nominee in the seat after affirmative action rules forced Ms Palaszczuk’s deputy chief of staff, Jon Persley, out of the running.

The LNP, which is due to preselect its candidate within a fortnight, has been critical of the by-election not being held sooner. Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said it was “insulting” to the constituents of Inala.

“The former premier has been out of office for a long time and for the government to suggest that the people of Inala shouldn’t get the chance to be represented in the parliament until into March, that doesn’t make sense,” he said.

Premier Steven Miles said the by-election would be held on the same day as the local government elections to save about $600,000 in administrative and operational costs, as recommended by the Electoral Commission.

Mr Miles said he asked state secretary Kate Flanders to make sure the candidate was a local woman and “someone with community experience”.

“She has lived in the Inala electorate all of her life, it is where she raised her daughters,” he said.

“She will be a great member of the Labor team if we are fortunate enough to win that by-election.”