Queensland’s Labor government has been hit hard by two by-elections and is likely to lose the once-safe seat of West Ipswich, as well as Inara, previously held by former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. is undergoing major changes.
Queensland’s ruling party also shed left-wing votes in Saturday’s local government elections, with the Greens posting their best result ever.
On Sunday, Brisbane-based Federal Labor Minister Annika Wells told Sky News there was “obviously a lot of work to do” ahead of the state election in October and the federal election scheduled for next year.
“As a federal Labor member in Queensland, it’s always a tough situation here,” Mr Wells said.
Labor appears to have lost nearly half (30%) of its primary vote in Inala, its safest seat. If this result materializes, it would be worse than Campbell Newman’s Liberal National Party government experienced in two disastrous by-elections before losing the 2015 general election.
Labor appears to have suffered a 17.7% swing in two-party support in West Ipswich, according to early counts.
Darren Zanow, the LNP candidate for Ipswich West and a retired concrete business owner, campaigned on a platform of cracking down on youth crime.
Although LNP members had not yet declared victory, they were confident of winning the seat on Saturday night.
The state will hold a general election in October. If repeated, Saturday’s result would mark the end of 10 years of Labor government and give the state’s Conservatives a third government since 1989.
Opposition leader David Crisafulli told a jubilant crowd of supporters at Ipswich’s Mihi Tavern that voters had sent a message to the government. “Obviously we made history tonight.
“The results of the sheet provide comfort to those who are looking for a better way. Who is calling for an end to the youth crime crisis, the housing crisis, the cost of living crisis, the health crisis?
“Tonight, residents in two Labor Party heartlands said enough is enough.”
The by-election was the first electoral test for New Labor leader Stephen Miles, who replaced Palaszczuk as premier in December. Her resignation in Inara triggered a by-election there.
Miles left an election night party in Inara early Saturday night without speaking to the media. He told the media early Saturday that it was not unusual to see big swings in by-elections.
“By-elections are difficult for the government and easy for the opposition,” he said.
City council election
Labor’s woes are likely to worsen as its left-wing Green Party continues to make strides.
Brisbane Mayor Adrian Schrinner remained head of Australia’s largest council, retaining a majority in individually elected council wards.
It seems most likely that only one LNP electorate, Paddington Ward, went to the Greens. Some others have their doubts.
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The Green Party, which campaigned under the slogan “We need systemic change,” replaced Labor as the second party in many inner-city wards.
Lord Mayor candidate Jonathan Sriranganathan failed to move into second place, defeating Labor by just 20.7% to 26.3% at the end of voting.
“We’re very close to the point where Brisbane is no longer a two-party city,” state MP Michael Berkman told ABC radio.
Labor backbencher Mark Bailey said the small parties’ gains had not come at the expense of the larger parties, as they had not lost any wards to the Greens. “The Greens got one more point out of 26, we got five,” he said.
“Labour remains the opposition party in parliament and I think the Greens still have quite a bit of ground to make before they can see themselves as a real threat.”
Meanwhile, 76 municipal elections were held in the state on Saturday, with voting in one municipality delayed by a week due to bad weather.
People queued for more than an hour at many booths in Brisbane, although turnout was lower than at the height of the pandemic in March 2020 due to staffing shortages at the State Electoral Commission.
Some voters were denied entry to polling stations due to municipal boundary issues. Some reportedly did so after waiting in line for a long time. Due to the uncontested election, 150,594 voters were not issued any ballots.
On Saturday night, counting had not yet begun for many positions.
Alleged murderer Ryan Baildon-Ramsden appeared to have failed in his bid to be re-elected to the Gold Coast City Council, finishing third.
Controversial former LNP MP Andrew Laming also lost his bid to become mayor of Redland, south of Brisbane.
Labour-supporting Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill appeared to have lost to challenger Troy Thompson.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has been successfully re-elected.
