Upset near as majors ‘ lose touch’
THE frustration of North Queenslanders could oust the city’s incumbents at today’s poll, with minority parties pushing for Townsville to be more than a “poor cousin” to Brisbane.
Today marks the end of a hard- fought campaign that’s seen Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls criss- cross the state pledging their commitment to the regions.
Townsville has been a contentious battleground for not only Labor and the LNP but for the resurgent One Nation.
A Galaxy poll published yesterday revealed that on a two- party preferred basis, the LNP had 52 per cent of the vote in regional Queensland ahead of Labor on 48 per cent.
This amounted to a swing towards the Tim Nicholls- led party of 1.1 per cent compared with the 2015 poll result.
Mundingburra and Thuringowa face a particularly strong threat from One Nation, with the result to depend on how preferences will flow from Pauline Hanson supporters.
While the Townsville region seats look set for a shakeup, Labor appears likely to hold on to power with the poll revealing the party could snatch 47 of the 93 seats if its results carried across the state.
Katter’s Australian Party’s Hinchinbrook candidate Nick Dametto said regional voters felt they had been forgotten by the two major parties.
“That’s one of the biggest burning issues,” he said.
“North Queensland, especially, feels like they have been treated like the poor cousin of Brisbane.
“We’re getting way than half of the budget.”
Mr Dametto said the region’s three main issues rang loudly – water security, jobs and tidal access.
“Tidal access to get in and out of boatways,” he said. “They’ve become a safety issue now, it’s not just recreational access. I’m getting enough flak from the LNP supporters up there that they’re worried less about That’s own.”
Mr Dametto said there was support for One Nation in certain areas.
“People are saying they’ll give me a second preference because they love Pauline ( Hanson),” Mr Dametto said.
“People are voting for Pauline and not their candidate.”
One Nation’s Thuringowa candidate Mark Thornton said people were giving up on the major parties.
“They’ve lost heart in the majors,” he said. “The majors have lost touch.”
The candidate said water, power and crime were the big issues.
“We all want to fix it, I don’t think there’s a blanket one size fits all,” he said. “We need to get our country back on track.”
One Nation’s Burdekin candidate and former LNP Member for Thuringowa Sam Cox said the feeling for the minority party had strengthened.
“I’m just hearing that both parties have lost their way and they’ve had a gutful and that’s on both sides,” he said. “I still say the seat is going to be close. I’m the underdog. I’m hopeful people of the Burdekin will choose to have the balance of power.”
However Mr Cox said it was going to be close.
“We need every vote to be number one,” he said. us being in the race. an indication on its