Michelle Landry poised for fifth term as Capricornia MP

Michelle Landry is poised for her fifth term as Capricornia MP, but she is holding out on any claim to victory as the vote count continues.

Voters at the Frenchville State School polling booth on May 3, 2025.

Incumbent LNP MP Michelle Landry is poised for her fifth term representing the federal seat of Capricornia.

But she’s holding out on claiming victory as the vote count continues.

Ms Landry has received 34.14 per cent of the vote with 73.52 per cent of the ballots counted while Australian Labor Party’s Emily Mawson was in second with 30.29 per cent.

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation’s Cheryl Kempton was in third, followed by former Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Mirani MP Stephen Andrew, who ran at the recent state election for the Katter party and now at the federal election for Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots.

In fifth place stands The Greens Mick Jones and Kerri Hislop of Family First is running last of the six candidates.

Thanvi Babu, 8, Usha Babu, Michelle Landry, Kathiresan Babu and Mahi Babu, 12 on May 3, 2025 at Frenchville State School.

Of the electorate’s 115,175 registered voters, 15,785 voters applied for postal votes with 8234 returned by May 3.

Ms Landry said she felt the fact half the country had already chosen to vote early might be a harbinger for change in government.

She retained the 90,000 sq km seat 2022 election with a 6.6 per cent margin.

See the vote count live HERE.

Fifteen years ago, Ms Landry was beaten by Labor’s formidable five-term Capricornia MP Kirsten Livermore.

However in 2013, Ms Landry dusted off her hat and threw it back into the ring again to find herself not only elected once but now in 2025 she will likely also become a five-term MP.

She did not see it that way with counting underway on Saturday night.

“It’s anyone’s game, obviously it’s early times for the results to be coming in and we’re waiting in anticipation,” Ms Landry said.

“We’re holding our own but it’s a little all over the place... I think it’s going to be a bit of a waiting game and I think it’ll be a few hours before we really know for sure where we are standing.”

Labor candidate for Capricornia Emily Mawson casts her vote at Yeppoon State High School on May 3, 2025.

Ms Mawson fashioned herself as the “underdog” candidate but many voters at exit polls had indicated they had ticked Labor at the ballot box.

Much like Ms Landry, Ms Mawson was positive after candidates’ last ditch attempt to woo voters on Saturday.

“Election day has been really great,” Ms Mawson said.

“We have hit just about every booth in the Rockhampton and Yeppoon area.

“I’m excited to watch the results come in.

“We’re hopeful but it’s a big hill for us to climb.”

Capricornia spans Rockhampton and the Capricorn Coast out into the Galilee and Bowen basins in the west, including Clermont, Emerald and Moranbah, to Sarina and part of the Whitsunday region and the southern suburbs of Mackay in the north.

Nova Watkins and Jayden Watkins, 10, enjoying a democracy sausage at the 2025 federal polling booth in Rockhampton. Pic: Gabriel Garcia

Rockhampton’s Frenchville State School was abuzz Saturday morning as residents of the Capricornia electorate gathered to vote in the 2025 Federal Election.

Voters ran the traditional gauntlet between the various party volunteers as they attempted to persuade people to vote in a particular way.

Voter Jayden Watkins said the biggest issue for him was housing affordability and the cost of living which he believes affects most of the population.

“I think a lot of people are going in with the same sort of mindset,” he said.

“Those are the two biggest issues.”

Mr Watkins said the issues facing Australia are generational problems and cannot be fixed in one government term when asked what he thought of the election and what the parties have brought to the voters.

“I definitely think more could be done but… it’s very long bigger picture sort of thing,” he said.

“While definitely you can see how certain parties would tackle these issues, or ignore them in some cases, I think it’s a generational problem that needs to be addressed.”

Ariana Mawer, 3, Jack and Karissa Mawer shared what motivated them at the Capricornia polling booth on May 3, 2025. Pic: Gabriel Garcia

Karissa and Jack Mawer, along with daughter Ariana, 3, were a young family voting at the school.

Mrs Mawer said people being able to get ahead with their home loans and daycare availability were two of the issues influencing her vote. While Mr Mawer said local employment was front of mind for him.

Mrs Mawer said she believes Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be voted back in and both her and Mr Mawer voted Labor.

“The policies and everything they are looking at rolling out, it’s aligned to where we are,” Ms Mawer said.

Despite being aligned politically, the couple did differ on the issue of onions on the democracy sausage, with Mrs Mawer for onions while Mr Mawer was against.

John Henry Doyle and Kylie Hylard share why they felt compelled to vote for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. Pic: Gabriel Garcia

Meanwhile John Henry Doyle and Kylie Hylard voted for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, with Ms Hylard believing they would be more helpful than Labor or the Liberals.

Ms Hylard echoed Mr Watkins’ concerns about housing and cost of living..

Though happy with what the different parties were offering the voters, Ms Hylard said the issue was what happened after the election.

“Whoever gets in has got to stick to what they are promising,” she said.

See what each candidate committed to HERE.

At Rockhampton Baptist Church polling station, voter Nosipho Mseleni said she thought the campaign has been positive.

“It’s been fairly fair and (there’s been) good topics and conversations,” she said.

Asked what she thought were the big issues facing Capricornia and Australia, Ms Mseleni said they were cost of living, inflation and youth crime which she described as “concerning”.

LNP Capricornia MP Michelle Landry votes during the 2025 Federal Election at Frenchville State School on May 3, 2025. Pic: Gabriel Garcia

Ms Landry cast her vote at 11.30am at Frenchville State School.

Like the ordinary voters, the LNP MP said cost of living was the big issue.

“Cost of living is massive, it really is,” she said.

“But the roads, people are worried about the state of the roads.

“I travel them a lot myself and we’ve had flat tires ourselves in recent times.

“Health is a big one too and the cost of energy. People are very concerned about those issues.”

Ms Landry said she was hopeful she would retain her seat.

Capricornia Federal Election 2025 candidates (left to right) sitting LNP MP Michelle Landry, The Greens Mick Jones, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Cheryl Kempton, Trumpet of Patriots Stephen Andrew and Australian Labor Party’s Emily Mawson.

Ms Mawson voted at Yeppoon State High School early on in the day.

Talking at a Park Avenue State School polling station later in the day, Ms Mawson said it has been a busy day.

“Election day has been really great,” she said.

“We have hit just about every booth in the Rockhampton and Yeppoon area.”

Ms Mawson said she was still the underdog but said the only poll that matters is the poll on election day.

“I’m excited to watch the results come in,” she said.

“We’re hopeful but it’s a big hill for us to climb.”

Asked about what feelings the voters have been giving her on Election Day, Ms Mawson said she has been given positive vibes.

“I think everyone is eager to move forward to a brighter future,” she said.

Find out more about all six candidates HERE.

Ms Landry said she felt the fact half the country had already chosen to vote early might be a harbinger for change in government.

“I’ve put in a lot of hard work as has my team and all our volunteers,” Ms Landry said.

“I can honestly say there’s nothing more that we could do, so I just hope people see that and I’m re-elected.”

The unofficial exit poll

The Frenchville State School polling station had one very unusual way to see which way the wind might be blowing.

The Fitzroy River Men’s Shed sausage sizzle was offering tomato sauce bottles labelled with the name of each Capricornia candidate.

Men’s Shed member Peter Tyler explained when people bought their democracy sausage they could use the sauce bottle of the candidate they chose and that way there was an indication of who might be winning.

“It’s all a bit funny really,” he said.

“Everyone seems to enjoy it.”

Frenchville State School Fitzroy River Men’s Shed Peter Tyler showcases their very own unofficial exit poll for the seat of Capricornia in the 2025 Federal Election. Pic: Gabriel Garcia

Though by no means scientific, a quick check on the bottles at roughly 11.30am showed that Ms Landry and Ms Mawson were in the lead, followed by Mr Jones.

Mr Tyler said that from what he has heard, cost of living is the biggest issue.

“Cost of living is hurting everybody, but everyone has a different take on it and they’ve got different solutions,” he said.

As for how popular the democracy sausage has been with voters, Mr Tyler said it’s been fantastic.

“There’s been a lot of customers,” he said.

As for the all-important issue of onions on a democracy sausage, Mr Tyler was blunt.

“You’ve got to have onion on a democracy sausage.”

Do you believe democracy sausages should have onions or not? Vote HERE.

Originally published as Michelle Landry poised for fifth term as Capricornia MP