Trevor Watts ‘humbled’ by results of ‘unpleasant contest’ in Toowoomba North

It was the must-watch seat in the Darling Downs during Saturday’s state election, and now the winner has spoken about what he will do during his next term in office.

Toowoomba North LNP MP Trevor Watts has stared down yet another high profile Labor opponent to claim the electorate for the fourth time.

As of time of print, Mr Watts had secured 57.47 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.

His Labor challenger, Councillor Megan O’Hara Sullivan, had secured 42.53 per cent.

Mr Watts had secured 50.23 per cent of the first preference vote.

Overall, there was a two-party preferred swing of 1.7 per cent to the LNP and Mr Watts has increased the margin of the seat from 5.7 per cent to the LNP, to about 7.47 per cent.

He was first elected to the seat in the 2012, defeating then Labor MP Kerry Shine.

While he lost some of his huge margin at the 2015 election, his popularity grew at the 2017 election and again at Saturday’s election.

In both 2017 and on Saturday, his margin grew despite swings towards Labor across Queensland.

Trevor Watts celebrates his win in Toowoomba North with wife Susan and supporters. Saturday. 31st Oct 2020

But unlike in the past, this year he had a few more things going against him,

There were public perceptions that Labor had done a good job at managing the COVID-19 health crisis, which some in the LNP were worried could help Cr O’Hara Sullivan, while Mr Watts also had to overcome the controversy surrounding him being fined for breaching COVID-19 restrictions in April.

“I appreciate the confidence (voters) have given me to get that job done and I won’t let them down,” Mr Watts said.

“I really appreciate all of the work the volunteers, all of my staff and of the people who have helped me along the journey here to retain the seat of Toowoomba North.

“It’s been a hard-fought contest, it’s been a bit of an unpleasant contest at different times … but this is a great democracy here in Toowoomba.”

Mr Watts said he was humbled by the result.

“I’ll make sure we get things delivered,” he said.

“Like the new day hospital, like the (second road to Highfields), I’ll make sure that we get the upgrades at Wilsonton State High School.

“These are the things people told me they wanted … so I’ll be working all of those things as their representative.”

Though this might be slightly harder than Mr Watts was hoping for, as he will be returning back to the opposition benches in parliament.

“Opposition is certainly not the place you’d prefer to be in parliament, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.

“But we managed to deliver the school hall at Wilsonton from opposition … there’s lots of things that can be done in opposition.”