Dire warning for Labor but MP defiant
LUKE MORTIMER, JESSICA MARSZALEK AND MICHAEL WRAY
GOLD Coast LNP State MPs are feeling buoyed by the Federal election win which, if replicated at state level, would see Labor Member for Gaven Meaghan Scanlon ousted.
Ms Scanlon holds State Labor’s sole Gold Coast seat after winning it in 2017 to secure a Glitter Strip bolthole for her party.
But number crunching shows she would lose it if the federal election “miracle” pulled off by Prime Minster Scott Morrison was replicated at next year’s Queensland state election.
Labor would not only lose its newly-won Gold Coast jewel of Gaven but also battle to keep Cairns, Barron River, a handful of seats in Brisbane and have little chance of realising plans to pick up more south of Brisbane to counteract losses in the regions.
The analysis is based on swings and total votes recorded at federal polling booths and compared to results from Queensland’s 2017 election.
But a defiant Ms Scanlon told the Bulletin last night: “The result on the weekend was disappointing for Labor.
“The dust has barely settled and the LNP are already taking Gold Coasters for granted, yet again. I’ll continue to work hard as the Member for Gaven and fight for a fair share for the Gold Coast.”
Her bold talk comes as another Labor stalwart, former Minister and Speaker John Mickel, urged Labor to better sell its resources credentials.
“We should be pro-mining because we have got a good story to tell,” he said.
“It is mining that provides the royalties that pay for the school teachers and the cops and the doctors and the nurses and that cannot be immediately replaced.”
Deputy Premier Jackie Trad would be swallowed by a rising Green tide in her South Brisbane electorate, while LNP swings up and down the coast could see just three Labor MPs left north of Caboolture.
Analysis reveals Townsville, Thuringowa, Mundingburra, Keppel, Rockhampton, Maryborough and Mackay would fall like dominoes down the coastline, taking out Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s hopes for a third term amid anger about Adani.
LNP’s Federal upset led by Mr Morrison has invigorated Gold Coast state MPs.
LNP Member for Southport Rob Molhoek said he was counting his lucky stars as Morrison’s Federal Coalition looked set to lock in a majority.
“We were all very relieved when we saw the result come through,” Mr Molhoek said.
“I was actually out working the booths during the day with (newly elected Moncrieff MP) Angie Bell and then I scrutineered. So I was locked up until about 8pm watching the count. I didn’t even know what was happening until I got out of the polling booth.”
Mr Molhoek said he knew it would be “very difficult” but he had hoped Morrison would turn it around – and he did.
He said it would now be largely “business as usual” for the Coalition’s state MPs, but Coomera MP Michael Crandon said the win would be a boon for his electorate.
His campaign to fund exits on the M1 and the Coomera Railway Station Park ’n’ Ride would be successful under an LNP Government, he said.
Mr Crandon also criticised polling as inaccurate and unreliable, pointing to his unexpected success in the seat of Coomera in 2009.
Broadwater MP David Crisafulli echoed re-elected Prime Minister Scott Morrison and said the win was something of a “miracle”. He warned the Coalition against taking the win for granted.
Surfers Paradise MP JohnPaul Langbroek said grey clouds on the horizon had lifted.
He was preparing for the worst on Saturday but was relieved to see polls were wildly off the mark. “The real lesson is about the volatility of the electorate. There was a lot of people who voted LNP this election who voted Labor at the state election,” he said.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said: “Queenslanders are smart enough to know the difference” between a federal and state election.
THE DUST HAS BARELY SETTLED AND THE LNP ARE ALREADY TAKING GOLD COASTERS FOR GRANTED, YET AGAIN.