Federal election 2025: Brisbane emerges as key election battleground

Brisbane is shaping up as hot property in the federal election, as Labor and the Coalition attempt to reclaim critical Greens-held seats and avoid a hung parliament.

Brisbane has become a key battleground in the federal election as Labor and the Coalition attempt to reclaim critical Greens-held seats and avoid a hung parliament.

In a shock twist on the first day of the election campaign all three parties – Labor, the Liberals and The Greens – descended on Brisbane to kick off their bids for power.

While Labor holds just five of 30 seats in Queensland, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday he was confident of picking up as many as five seats, even including the Opposition Leader’s seat of Dickson, where he chose to hold his first press conference.

Both Labor and the Liberals are vying to take the three inner-city seats of Brisbane, Ryan and Griffith off The Greens in a fierce contest to try and avoid having to negotiate with the party in the likely event of a hung parliament.

The Greens’ Stephen Bates holds Brisbane with a 3.73 per cent margin over the LNP, while Elizabeth Watson-Brown defends Ryan with just 2.6 per cent.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Brisbane on Saturday. Picture: Jason Edwards / POOL

Max Chandler-Mather is slightly more secure in Griffith, on a 10.46 per cent margin.

Former MP Trevor Evans, who helped launch Mr Dutton’s campaign at the XXXX Brewery in Milton on Saturday, is running again in Brisbane after losing the seat at the 2022 election.

Mr Dutton is also targeting the seat of Lilley, currently held by federal Sports Minister Anika Wells who has a commanding 10.54 per cent margin.

“Our task now is to win Ryan … win Brisbane,” Mr Dutton said. “I think in Queensland we can win Blair, we’re a real shot in Lilley and Moreton as well.”

Mr Albanese is looking to build on the ALP’s five Queensland seats and said he wasn’t just looking to win seats off The Greens but the Liberals as well, targeting Ross Vasta’s Bonner (3.41 per cent), Warren Entsch’s Leichhardt (3.44 per cent) and Mr Dutton’s seat of Dickson – held by just 1.70 per cent.

Australian opposition leader Peter Dutton visits the XXXX Brewery. Picture Thomas Lisson

“This is Queensland’s most marginal seat … we intend to run a very serious campaign,” he said. “I’m out to win Brisbane, Griffith, Ryan, Leichhardt and Bonner.”

Mr Dutton was unfazed by the Prime Minister’s visit to his electorate as the first stop of the 35-day campaign.

“I welcome Mr Albanese meeting as many of my constituents in Dickson as possible – and I think my margin will go up as a result,” he said.

The Greens are confident of retaining all three seats and hope to expand into Moreton with candidate Remah Naji as it launched a “nationwide” effort to oust Coalition MPs.

Stephen Bates Greens rally to keep Dutton out in South Brisbane. Picture, John Gass.

“We’re not going to take anything for granted,” Greens leader Adam Bandt said.

A third of LNP seats in Queensland are held by margins under 10 per cent, leaving them vulnerable if a national swing hits.

Blair, held by Shayne Neumann with a 5.23 per cent margin, is Labor’s most vulnerable seat.

Originally published as Federal election 2025: Brisbane emerges as key election battleground