2017 Queensland state election

The 2017 Queensland state election was held on 25 November 2017 to elect all 93 members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, the unicameral Parliament of Queensland.

The first-term incumbent Labor government, led by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, won a second term in government. They were challenged by the Liberal National opposition, led by Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls and minor parties One Nation, Katter's Australian Party and the Greens. The 2015 election outcome had delivered a hung parliament with 44 seats to the Labor opposition, 42 seats to the one-term Liberal National government, and three to the crossbench including two to Katter's Australian Party. Just one seat short of majority government, Labor was able to form minority government with confidence and supply support from sole independent MP Peter Wellington, who otherwise retained the right to vote on conscience. During the parliamentary term, Labor MPs Billy Gordon and Rob Pyne became independent MPs, however they both indicated they would provide confidence and supply support for the government.

The day after the election, ABC election analyst Antony Green predicted that Labor would win up to 48 seats and was likely to form government in its own right. By 6 December, several news agencies reported that Labor had won a majority of seats in the Parliament.

With the redistribution increasing the size of parliament from 89 seats to 93 seats, Labor increased its representation by a net seven seats to a total of 48 seats, an increase of four since the last election and a notional increase of one since the redistribution, allowing it to form government in its own right by two seats. The Liberal National opposition decreased their representation by a net three seats to a total of 39 seats, a decrease of two seats since the last election and a notional decrease of five since the redistribution. On the crossbench, Katter's Australian Party won three seats, an increase of one since the last election and a notional increase of two since the redistribution, one new independent candidate won a seat while all the incumbent independents lost their seats. One Nation won its first seat since 2009 and the Greens won a seat at a state election for the first time.

Despite a small two-party swing to Labor statewide and Labor increasing its seat total, a number of regional seats notably swung to the Coalition. The LNP regained the seat of Bundaberg from Labor as well as Burdekin which was held by the LNP prior to the election but made notionally Labor due to redistribution.

On 8 December 2017, Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls conceded defeat and announced he would step down as leader of the party. Later that day, Palaszczuk visited Government House and was invited to form a majority government by the Governor. The Second Palaszczuk Ministry was subsequently sworn in by the Governor on 12 December 2017. This marked the tenth time in the last eleven elections that Queensland Labor had won government; it won eight consecutive election victories from 1989 to 2009, and was only out of government from 1996 to 1998 when Labor lost its parliamentary majority as well as from 2012 to 2015 following the Liberal National Party's 2012 landslide win.

Background Previous election

At the 2015 election, Labor won 44 seats, the most of all parties, but short by one of commanding a majority in the Legislative Assembly. The Liberal National Party, despite winning a record majority of 78 at the previous election, won 42 seats. Katter's Australian Party won two seats, and the independent member for Nicklin, Wellington, retained his seat.

Wellington gave confidence and supply support to Labor to form government, giving it the majority of 45 out of 89 seats in parliament, and consequently the previous Liberal National government under the leadership of Campbell Newman, who lost his seat of Ashgrove, lost office after one term.

Calling of election After Labor's retraction of endorsement for MP Rick Williams on 27 October 2017, the party's seat count dropped to 41, equalling that of the LNP. Several media sources reported that Premier Palaszczuk would call a snap election. On 29 October Palaszczuk asked the Acting Governor Catherine Holmes to dissolve parliament and a writ was issued for a 25 November state election.

Key dates Date Event 29 October 2017 Writ of election issued by the Acting Governor 3 November 2017 Close of electoral rolls 7 November 2017 Close of nominations 25 November 2017 Polling day, between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm 5 December 2017 Cut off for the return of postal ballot papers 8 December 2017 Election results declared and writ returned 12 December 2017 Second Palaszczuk Ministry sworn in 13 February 2018 56th Parliament convened

Electoral system Queensland elected its members using instant-runoff voting.

Amendments to electoral laws increased the number of seats by four from 89 to 93, necessitating the redrawing of district boundaries, and changed the optional preferential voting system to compulsory full-preferential voting.

A 2016 referendum also replaced the state's unfixed maximum three-year terms with fixed four-year terms, but these would not apply until the 2020 election.

Electoral redistribution A redistribution of electoral boundaries occurred earlier in 2017.

The electorates of Albert, Ashgrove, Beaudesert, Brisbane Central, Cleveland, Dalrymple, Indooroopilly, Kallangur, Mount Coot-tha, Mount Isa, Sunnybank, and Yeerongpilly were abolished.

The electorates of Bancroft, Bonney, Cooper, Hill, Jordan, Kurwongbah, Macalister, Maiwar, McConnel, Miller, Ninderry, Oodgeroo, Scenic Rim, Theodore, Toohey, and Traeger were created.

The Legislative Assembly was expanded from 89 to 93 members. Indooroopilly was abolished west of Brisbane, while notionally Labor-held Bancroft was created in the corridor north of Brisbane, notionally Liberal National-held Bonney created on the Gold Coast, notionally Labor-held Jordan created in the corridor west of Brisbane, notionally Labor-held Macalister created in the corridor south of Brisbane, and notionally Liberal National-held Ninderry created on the Sunshine Coast. Albert was renamed Theodore, Ashgrove was renamed Cooper, Beaudesert was renamed Scenic Rim, Brisbane Central was renamed McConnel, Cleveland was renamed Oodgeroo, Dalrymple was renamed Hill, Kallangur was renamed Kurwongbah, Mount Coot-tha was renamed Maiwar, Mount Isa was renamed Traeger, Sunnybank was renamed Toohey, and Yeerongpilly was renamed Miller. Burdekin, Mansfield, and Mount Ommaney became notionally Labor-held, while Pumicestone became notionally Liberal National-held.

The changes resulted in 48 notionally Labor-held seats, 2 notionally Katter's Australian-held seats, 42 notionally Liberal National-held seats, and 1 notionally Independent-held seat.

Retiring members

Labor

Bill Byrne (Rockhampton) – Announced 7 October 2017

Liberal National

Verity Barton (Broadwater) – Lost preselection 28 May 2017; Ian Rickuss (Lockyer) – Announced 12 November 2016 Jeff Seeney (Callide) – Announced 2 March 2017 Lawrence Springborg (Southern Downs) – Announced 3 December 2016

Independent

Billy Gordon (Cook) – Elected as Labor. Announced 31 October 2017 Peter Wellington (Nicklin) – Announced 16 February 2017

Results

Independent: Sandy Bolton (Noosa)

Seats changing hands Seat 2017 Redistribution Swing 2017 Election Party Member Margin Margin Member Party Aspley  Liberal National Tracy Davis 3.20 –4.37 1.17 Bart Mellish Labor  Bundaberg Labor Leanne Donaldson 0.50 –4.70 4.20 David Batt Liberal National BurdekinLabornotional 1.40 –2.20 0.80Dale LastLiberal National  Gaven  Liberal National Sid Cramp 2.80 –3.51 0.71 Meaghan Scanlon Labor  Hinchinbrook  Liberal National Andrew Cripps 3.40 –10.95 7.55 Nick Dametto Katter's Australian Maiwar  Liberal National Scott Emerson 3.00 –4.63 1.63 Michael Berkman Greens Mirani  Labor Jim Pearce 3.80 –8.62 4.82 Stephen Andrew One Nation  Nicklin  Independent Peter Wellington 4.10 –19.38 5.28 Marty Hunt Liberal National  Noosa  Liberal National Glen Elmes 6.60 –18.13 11.53 Sandy Bolton Independent  Redlands  Liberal National Matt McEachan 1.20 –4.26 3.06 Kim Richards Labor 

Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election. The Labor Party also retained the seat of Cairns, where the sitting Labor member had resigned and contested the election as an Independent, and the seat of Cook, where the sitting Labor member was expelled and sat as an Independent. The Liberal National Party also retained the seat of Buderim, where the sitting Liberal National member had resigned and contested the election as a member of the One Nation Party, and the seat of Pumicestone, which had a notional Liberal National margin.

Post-election pendulum Government seatsMarginalTownsvilleScott StewartALP0.38%GavenMeaghan ScanlonALP0.71%MundingburraCoralee O'RourkeALP1.13%AspleyBart MellishALP1.17%MansfieldCorrine McMillanALP1.62%Barron RiverCraig CrawfordALP1.86%MaryboroughBruce SaundersALP2.46% v ONP RedlandsKim RichardsALP3.06%KeppelBrittany LaugaALP3.14% v ONP CairnsMichael HealyALP3.39%South BrisbaneJackie TradALP3.55% v GRNSpringwoodMick de BrenniALP3.59%ThuringowaAaron HarperALP4.15% v ONPFerny GroveMark FurnerALP4.63%RedcliffeYvette D'AthALP4.86%RockhamptonBarry O'RourkeALP5.19% v ONP Mount OmmaneyJess PughALP5.76%CookCynthia LuiALP5.84% v ONPFairly SafePine RiversNikki BoydALP6.19%BancroftChris WhitingALP6.21%LoganLinus PowerALP6.83% v ONPKurwongbahShane KingALP6.99%MacalisterMelissa McMahonALP7.45%McConnelGrace GraceALP7.86%CapalabaDon BrownALP7.86%MillerMark BaileyALP8.18%MackayJulieanne GilbertALP8.34%Ipswich WestJim MaddenALP8.72 v ONP MorayfieldMark RyanALP8.72% v ONP MurrumbaSteven MilesALP9.52%JordanCharis MullenALP9.91% v ONPStrettonDuncan PeggALP9.89%SafeTooheyPeter RussoALP10.01%GreenslopesJoe KellyALP10.13%CooperKate JonesALP10.65%WaterfordShannon FentimanALP10.75% v ONPBulimbaDi FarmerALP10.78%IpswichJennifer HowardALP10.89% v ONPMulgraveCurtis PittALP10.92%LyttonJoan PeaseALP12.02%StaffordAnthony LynhamALP12.10%SandgateStirling HinchliffeALP13.48%NudgeeLeanne LinardALP14.32%AlgesterLeeanne EnochALP14.43%Very SafeGladstoneGlenn ButcherALP20.70% v ONP BundambaJo-Ann MillerALP21.55%InalaAnnastacia PalaszczukALP26.09%WoodridgeCameron DickALP26.37%

Non-Government seats MarginalWhitsundayJason CostiganLNP0.68%BurdekinDale LastLNP0.80%PumicestoneSimone WilsonLNP0.84%BonneySam O'ConnorLNP2.18%ClayfieldTim NichollsLNP2.41%ChatsworthSteve MinnikinLNP2.90%CurrumbinJann StuckeyLNP3.31%CaloundraMark McArdleLNP3.41%Glass HouseAndrew PowellLNP3.43%CoomeraMichael CrandonLNP3.47%TheodoreMark BoothmanLNP3.72%LockyerJim McDonaldLNP4.07% v ONPBundabergDavid BattLNP4.20%BurleighMichael HartLNP4.85%EvertonTim ManderLNP4.94%MoggillChristian RowanLNP5.03%NicklinMarty HuntLNP5.28%Toowoomba NorthTrevor WattsLNP5.72%Fairly SafeCallideColin BoyceLNP6.11% v ONPMermaid BeachRay StevensLNP6.26%SouthportRob MolhoekLNP7.24%OodgerooMark RobinsonLNP7.24%NinderryDan PurdieLNP8.38%MaroochydoreFiona SimpsonLNP8.52%GympieTony PerrettLNP8.68% v ONPHervey BayTed SorensenLNP9.10%WarregoAnn LeahyLNP9.46% v KAPMudgeerabaRos BatesLNP9.85%Toowoomba SouthDavid JanetzkiLNP9.98%SafeBurnettStephen BennettLNP10.65%CondaminePat WeirLNP10.71% v ONPBuderimBrent MickelbergLNP11.41%Southern DownsJames ListerLNP13.03% v ONP KawanaJarrod BleijieLNP13.07%Scenic RimJon KrauseLNP13.12% v ONP NanangoDeb FrecklingtonLNP13.36% v ONP GregoryLachlan MillarLNP13.94% v ONP BroadwaterDavid CrisafulliLNP17.98Surfers ParadiseJohn-Paul LangbroekLNP19.78Crossbench seatsMaiwarMichael BerkmanGRN1.63% v LNPMiraniStephen AndrewONP4.82% v ALPHinchinbrookNick DamettoKAP7.55% v LNPNoosaSandy BoltonIND11.53% v LNPHillShane KnuthKAP19.75% v ALPTraegerRobbie KatterKAP28.49% v ALP

Subsequent changes