Thirteen seats still in play, but Labor in box seat to claim victory

Thirteen seats in Queensland’s new 93-member parliament are still too close to cal.

Maiwar Greens candidate Michael Berkman with his partner Daile Kelleher. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Thirteen seats in Queensland’s new 93-member parliament are still too close to call after a tumultuous weekend left Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on the verge of claiming victory but last night still short of a majority.

At the close of counting yesterday, six of the 13 seats yet to be decided were leaning towards Labor, three to the Liberal National Party, two to independents, one to One Nation and one to Katter’s Australian Party.

Postal votes and declaration votes, which will be counted this week, will prove decisive.

Three independents — former councillor Sandy Bolton, child protection advocate Hetty Johnston and Rockhampton mayor Margaret Strelow — are in with a strong chance, in Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, Macalister south of Brisbane and Rockhampton respectively.

Seven of the undecided seats are in regional Queensland, where the vote has been split among several parties.

The north Queensland seats of Townsville and Thuringowa could fall out of the Labor Party’s hands, with one-term incumbents Scott Stewart and Aaron Harper facing a challenge from the LNP’s Casie Scott in Townsville and One Nation’s Mark Thornton in Thuringowa.

Last night, Ms Scott was ­slightly ahead on a two-party ­preferred basis, thanks to ­preferences from One Nation, which polled 20 per cent of the primary vote.

Mr Harper is likely to hold Thuringowa after winning 32.2 per cent of the primary vote, ahead of the LNP on 21.1 per cent, but could be leapfrogged by One Nation’s Mark Thornton thanks to KAP and LNP preferences.

Further north in Hinchinbrook, which has been safely held by the LNP’s Andrew Cripps since 2006, a boundary redistribution and flow of preferences could mean it goes to third-placed KAP candidate Nick Dametto.

This would give the KAP a belt of three neighbouring regional seats and a strong position in the parliament.

Burdekin, south of Townsville, is likely to be retained by the LNP’s Dale Last, despite the incumbent finishing behind Labor’s Mike Brunker, a former Bowen mayor.

Mirani, near Mackay, is One Nation’s best chance of picking up a seat in the parliament — following predictions it could win eight or nine seats — with Stephen Andrew threatening to unseat Labor’s Jim Pearce.

The northernmost seat of Cook, which was vacated by Billy Gordon — who was booted from the Labor Party early last term — is likely to be returned to the ALP under Torres Strait Islander Cynthia Lui.

In the southeast, Pumicestone, which was up for grabs after former Labor candidate Rick Williams was dumped just before the election was called, is on track to be an LNP gain.

But the conservatives are likely to lose the inner-city seat of Maiwar, Aspley in Brisbane’s north and Gaven, on the Gold Coast.