By Amy Remeikis
Labor has won in its bid to have compulsory preferential voting restored in Queensland after blindsiding the LNP with the surprise amendment mere hours ago.
As a result of the support of the crossbench, Queensland will see its electorates increase by four to 93 and will have to number every box in elections.
The LNP had bitterly opposed the move which in kind voting conditions gives the advantage to Labor with ABC election pundit Antony Green predicting Labor would have won nine more seats at the last election if compulstory preferential voting was in place.
EARLIER
Annastacia Palaszczuk celebrates victory in the 2015 election.Credit: Robert Shakespeare
The Palaszczuk government has bamboozled the Opposition, seizing back the legislative agenda by using one of the LNP's own bills against it.
The LNP won its vote, forcing the government to increase the number of electorates in the state from 89 to 93, after gaining the support of the cross bench.
The LNP had blindsided the government on Tuesday, introducing the legislation and winning the motion to have it debated just days later, with the support of independent MP Rob Pyne, sparking attacks the government had "lost control" of the legislative agenda.
It lost that vote, with only 45 votes to 43.
But the government, which only put up a few speakers during the debate, limiting it to 45 minutes. Then it moved amendments to re-introduce compulsory preferential voting in a move which left the LNP shocked and scrambling to combat it.
By moving an amendment to the LNP's bill, the government doesn't have to send it to committee for review, or open it up to consultation.
Instead, if it has the numbers, the government amendment becomes part of the LNP legislation, which has already passed.
The LNP is now in the position of having to vote down its own legislation in the third reading, having just voted to pass it.
Used in federal elections, the Goss Labor government switched to optional preferential voting in 1992, which allows voters to choose whether they just vote one or number every box.
The change came after the Fitzgerald Inquiry, which raised questions about the existing Queensland voting system.
In 2001, Labor Premier Peter Beattie used the optional preferential voting system to his advantage, urging voters to "just vote one", helping to scuttle votes to then divided conservative party.
That led to a surge in "just vote one" ballots, with the LNP attempting to use the tactic in the 2015 election.
It didn't work, with the LNP winning the primary vote, but Labor taking power thanks to the bump it received in preferences.
Using the LNP's urgency in passing the bill against them, Labor moved its compulsory preferential voting amendment, sending the Opposition scrambling in an attempt to scuttle it.
Labor is understood to have the support of the cross bench for its amendments, despite Opposition attacks against "the little bit of shoddy politics" it says are just designed to "enhance your prospects at the next election".
The debate has been extended as the LNP negotiates with the crossbenchers.