Little between the two majors

THE Liberal National Party and Labor have been neck-and-neck in the final days of the Queensland election, according to polling by Essential Media.

Voting intentions by Essential.

THE Liberal National Party and Labor have been neck-and-neck in the final days of the Queensland election, according to polling by Essential Media.

In the final week, the LNP was favoured by 38 per cent of respondents ahead of Labor, on 37 per cent, the Greens (10 per cent) and Palmer United Party (5 per cent). This gives Labor a one-point advantage on a two-party-preferred basis, 51 per cent to 49 per cent.

The final-week figure mirrors the results of aggregated weekly polls by Essential over the three-week election campaign, which put the LNP at 39 per cent on first preferences, with Labor at 38 per cent and the Greens on 7 per cent, giving a two-party-preferred vote of 50-50.

The result represents a swing of 12 per cent to the ALP over the results of the 2012 state election.

On significant issues, the LNP was trusted more on handling economic management (39 per cent), planning for the future (38 per cent) and police and public safety (38 per cent).

INTERACTIVE: Guide to the Queensland election

Labor was trusted more to handle employment and jobs (40 per cent), education and schools (40 per cent) and health and hospitals (38 per cent).

Past polling has shown the Great Barrier Reef to be a major concern for voters. According to the Essential Media poll, the LNP had a slight advantage over Labor on the environment, 22 per cent against 21 per cent. The Greens had a clear lead of 32 per cent and 24 per cent of respondents said they did not know.

Australian Marine Conservation Society spokeswoman Felicity Wishart said dredging and duping for the Abbot Point coal terminal had become touchstone issues for the Queensland community.

The survey was conducted online over three weeks from January 9-26 and was based on a sample of 566 Queensland respondents older than 18.