LNP gets its Senate act right

THE LNP and its new Senate candidate Susan McDonald were wise to arrange for the Brisbane- based managing director, who won the number two spot on the Queensland ticket, to move to Townsville if she’s elected.

As news broke on Friday that veteran Senator Ian Macdonald had been dumped into fourth place on the Senate ticket, which is considered unwinnable, there were fears North Queensland would be left under- represented.

Senator Macdonald, aged 72, is the longest continuously serving member in the Australian Senate but also the only senator serving the North and if he was replaced by someone in the southeast corner Senator Matt Canavan, who is based in Rockhampton, would be the LNP’s most northern senator.

Thankfully, the can exclusively reveal today Ms McDonald’s intention to move north, which puts the pressure on the Labor Party.

Labor has yet to hold its preselection vote but its northernmost Queensland senator at present is Chris Ketter, who has an electoral office about 20km north of Brisbane, in Strathpine.

The Labor Party will be desperate to keep Member for Herbert Cathy O’Toole in this marginal seat.

She’s the hope of the party in the North and could hold the key to the election.

To bolster her chances the party needs to seriously consider fielding a Senate candidate who will live in the region.

The election date has not been set yet but the battle is heating up nicely.

Bill Shorten has pledged his party’s support for the channel widening of the Port of Townsville and for phase two of the Haughton pipeline project.

Newly minted LNP candidate Phillip Thompson is already on the front foot and has written to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asking for the Government’s support for the port. If Mr Thompson manages to secure that and a water commitment, the playing field would start to level and it would make for a very interesting race.