Crossbenchers win in QLD

DISSATISFACTION with the major parties is set to see Queensland’s crossbench swell to as many as seven seats, even after several independents from the last parliament retired or were tossed out.

Buoyed by swings against both the Labor and the Liberal National Party, especially in regional Queensland, minor parties and independents have had their best showing in living memory at the weekend’s state election. And it came after support for One Nation dramati- cally failed to live up to expectations.

On the latest figures, Katter’s Australia Party looks to have picked up a third seat in north Queensland, with One Nation on track to win the central Queensland seat of Mirani and the Greens neck-and-neck in the Brisbane seat of Maiwar.

They will be joined by up to two independents after local councillor Sandy Bolton disposed of Noosa MP Glen Elms, while Margaret Strelow is on track to claim Rockhampton from Labor with the help of LNP and One Nation preferences.

With Labor in line to win a narrow majority, the crossbench is unlikely to wield the same power it did in the 56th parliament but key players remained hopeful of yielding influence in the coming term.

KAP MP Shane Knuth, who defied the odds by winning a seat 550km from his home in Charters Towers after his electorate was abolished, said his party was happy to work with Labor despite Premier Annastacia Palszczuk (pictured) vowing not to make any deals.

“We don’t really care who is in government,” he said.

“Our focus is on rural and regional Queensland, which has really been ignored for the past 30 years.”

Mr Knuth easily disposed of the LNP’s Mario Quaglita in the new seat of Hill and is now making plans to move to the coastal Queensland electorate.

Ms Bolton promised to work with “whoever will get the job done for Noosa”. “It might be a once in a lifetime opportunity and that was very specific as to the reason that I went in,” she said.

The Greens’ Michael Berkman remains open to working with Labor if elected in Maiwar, but will be at odds with the government over issues like the Adani mine and corporate political donations.

KAP looks set to hold three times as many seats as One Nation.