Tight race looms in Herbert

AFTER months of speculation, the LNP has finally selected a candidate to run in the seat of Herbert at the next federal election.

Young challenger Phillip Thompson successfully secured the numbers over former Herbert MP Ewen Jones in the local branch vote on Sunday.

It’s far too early to know what the full implications of the decision will be, but the choice of a politically inexperienced 30- year- old over a former MP appears to represent a changing of the guard.

Mr Jones held Herbert from 2013 to 2016, but lost the seat last election by 37 votes to Labor’s Cathy O’Toole.

Undoubtedly Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s initial reluctance to stump up $ 100 million for the North Queensland Stadium hurt Mr Jones’ campaign.

But even without the stadium issue there were rumblings of discontent about Mr Jones’ performance. He was seen as “Canberra’s man in Townsville”.

Ultimately his single- term tenure sent a very clear message to the Federal Government: If you ignore North Queensland, you will be voted out.

So if the LNP is seeking to rejuvenate its presence in the North, the party could hardly have picked a better candidate.

A young father with strong community service record and military background, Mr Thompson is primed to lead a new generation of regional LNP representatives.

And judging from Mr Thompson’s comments today, he seems to have already honed in on the key issues for the region – water security, cost of living, jobs and infrastructure.

Whether he can deliver commitments on those issues where Mr Jones could not remains to be seen, but either way the path to victory will not be easy.

Labor incumbent Ms O’Toole has gained a lot of momentum in recent months, locking down a $ 75 million commitment for the Port of Townsville channel widening and rising to the defence of former QNI workers owed money from billionaire Clive Palmer.

Ms O’Toole is right in saying the Herbert election will be a “tough fight” – the seat is the most marginal in the country.

At the end of the day, the people of Townsville will choose whoever they think is going to be able to stand up for the North and make sure our voice is heard.