One Nation collapse proves a gift to Labor, LNP in Queensland election

Statewide swing to Labor extends Palaszczuk’s reign, but the LNP has also lifted its primary vote thanks to One Nation collapse.

Senator Pauline Hanson travelled to Townsville to visit the pre-polling booth ahead of the 2020 state election. PICTURE: MATT TAYLOR.

A five per cent statewide swing to Labor has extended the Palaszczuk government’s reign, but the Liberal National Party was also able to improve its primary vote by almost 2 per cent on the 2017 election.

The counting of votes is ongoing, but the numbers so far show the boost to both major parties came from an equivalent drop in primary support for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.

The minor party, which won more than 13 per cent of the statewide vote in 2017 suffered a 6.8 per cent swing against it this year, polling just 6.9 per cent.

Most of those voters did not turn to the LNP or other minor parties, instead putting their support behind Annastacia Palaszczuk.

The LNP’s primary vote rose to 35.5 per cent, slightly higher than the primary vote that won Labor government in 2017.

But Labor’s vote this year has risen to 40.49 per cent.

Despite picking up another seat, the Greens lost 0.9 per cent of its primary vote, while Katter’s Australian Party grew its vote by 0.3 per cent.

Labor picked up the LNP-held seats of Caloundra and Pumicestone, where the incumbents retired.

The swing in Caloundra has been more than 5.5 per cent to Labor, while in Pumicestone, north of Brisbane, the party’s vote was up about 5.2 per cent.

The other LNP seat to have a retiring MP, Hervey Bay, is likely to fall to Labor.

With 50 per cent of the vote counted, Labor is ahead after a massive swing of about 11 per cent.

Labor also leads in the LNP seats of Nicklin and Bundaberg.

The LNP leads in Burleigh, Chatsworth, Coomera and Glass House.