LNP candidate for Ryan Maggie Forrest concedes defeat as vote count continues

The LNP candidate for Ryan has congratulated “the next member” for the western Brisbane electorate, but just who that will be remains unclear as counting continues.

Ryan MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown with opposition candidates Rebecca Hack for Labor and Maggie Forrest for Liberals at a pre-polling venue. Picture: David Clark

The LNP candidate for Ryan has congratulated “the next member” for the western Brisbane electorate, but just who that will be remains unclear as counting continues.

In a statement posted to social media on Tuesday, Liberal National Party candidate Maggie Forrest wished her best to the “next member for Ryan”, as the close count in the seat taking in the western suburbs of Brisbane continues.

“It has been an honour to stand for election in my home community and to have so much support from so many people has been humbling,” Ms Forrest said.

“I look forward to continuing to see many of you out in the community.

“As the counting is still continuing to determine whether the Greens or Labor will win the seat, I congratulate the next Member for Ryan, whoever it may be, and wish the next Member all the best in representing our wonderful community.”

LNP candidate Maggie Forrest congratulated the next member for Ryan. Picture: David Clark

Incumbent Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown described the wait for the result as “agonising”.

“We’re just in limbo waiting and I’m not even sure when the count is actually going to finish,” she said.

“It’s just so close and we’ll just have to wait until they finish that count.

“It’s a bit of an agonising wait.”

Despite the Greens losing two seats in Brisbane, Ms Watson-Brown believes the movement underpinning the party is still “very strong”.

“This huge surge in the Labor vote has resulted in lots of different unpredicted outcomes across Queensland and Australia,” she said.

“It would have been preferred to have kept our other Greens seats in Brisbane, that’s for sure, I’ll be missing my incredible colleagues there.

“I think the movement is still very strong, and I think it’s just a case of the lessons that we take from this and how we keep building our movement, because I think we’re a really important third voice in Parliament.”

As of 2pm on Wednesday, Australian Electoral Commission figures show Ms Forrest leads the first preference count with 32,012 votes, ahead of incumbent Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown on 26,206 votes, with Labor candidate Rebecca Hack on 25,599 votes.

In a statement, an AEC spokesman said a three-candidate preferred count for Ryan will continue today.

“This count is required in order to get an indication of who the two leading candidates actually are in a contest when it is close,” the spokesman said.

“Once the 3CP count is complete and the two leading candidates have been identified, the AEC will commence a two-candidate preferred count for Ryan.

Greens incumbent MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“This process may take a few more days, but at the AEC our motto is always ‘right, not rushed’.”

More than 93,500 votes have been counted and all 48 polling places in the electorate have returned votes, with 114,891 eligible electors living in the electorate.

The close count in Ryan comes after the Greens lost their other seats in Brisbane, while the leader of the Greens Adam Bandt is also in the fight of his political life in the seat of Melbourne.

Labor’s Rebecca Hack (centre) with supports on election night. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Former Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather conceded to Labor’s Renee Coffey in the seat of Griffith, while in Brisbane, Greens representative Stephen Bates lost out to Labor’s Madonna Jarrett.

Ms Coffey and Ms Jarrett were elected as part of the Labor landslide that swept Queensland, which was headlined by “Dutton Slayer” Ali France, who toppled Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in Dickson.

Originally published as LNP candidate for Ryan Maggie Forrest concedes defeat as vote count continues