1995 Queensland state election

Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 15 July 1995 to elect the 89 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.

The Labor Party, which had been in power since the 1989 election and led by Premier Wayne Goss, was elected to a third term, defeating the NationalLiberal Coalition under Rob Borbidge. The Queensland Nationals and Liberals were contesting their first election as a coalition in 15 years, having renewed their agreement midway through Goss's second term. The Coalition actually won a majority of the two-party preferred vote. However, most of that vote was wasted on landslide margins in the Nationals' rural heartland. As a result, while the Coalition scored an overall eight-seat swing, it only won nine seats in Greater Brisbane, allowing Labor to hold on to power with a majority of one seat.

On 8 December 1995, the Court of Disputed Returns threw out the results in Mundingburra, which Labor's Ken Davies had won by 16 votes, after it was discovered that 22 overseas military personnel were denied the chance to vote. This forced a by-election, held in February 1996. Liberal Frank Tanti won the by-election, resulting in a hung parliament. With Labor and the Coalition holding 44 seats each, the balance of power rested with Liz Cunningham, the newly-elected Independent member for Gladstone. Cunningham threw her support to the Coalition, allowing Borbidge to form a minority government.

Key dates Date Event 20 June 1995 Writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election. 24 June 1995 Close of electoral rolls. 27 June 1995 Close of nominations. 15 July 1995 Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm. 31 July 1995 The Goss Ministry was reconstituted. 25 August 1995 The writ was returned and the results formally declared.

Retiring members

Labor

Ed Casey (Mackay) Pat Comben (Kedron) Ken Vaughan (Nudgee) Anne Warner (South Brisbane)

Results

Seats changing hands

Seat 1992 Election Swing 1995 Election Party Member Margin Margin Member PartyAlbert  Labor John Szczerbanik 1.64 –5.54 3.89 Bill Baumann National Barron River  Labor Lesley Clark 4.16 –4.55 0.39 Lyn Warwick Liberal Gladstone  Labor Neil Bennett 1.99 –5.05 3.07 Liz Cunningham Independent Greenslopes  Labor Gary Fenlon 7.24 –7.34 0.11 Ted Radke Liberal Mansfield  Labor Laurel Power 2.56 –9.25 6.70 Frank Carroll Liberal Mount Ommaney  Labor Peter Pyke 1.25 –2.93 1.68 Bob Harper Liberal Mulgrave  Labor Warren Pitt 3.17 –3.64 0.47 Naomi Wilson National Redlands  Labor John Budd 5.25 –9.84 4.59 John Hegarty National Springwood  Labor Molly Robson 8.66 –19.43 10.77 Luke Woolmer Liberal 

Post-election pendulum

Labor seats (45)Marginal MundingburraKen DaviesALP0.04% WhitsundayLorraine BirdALP0.13% MaryboroughBob DollinALP0.37% RedcliffeRay HollisALP0.38% BundabergClem CampbellALP0.51% EvertonRod WelfordALP1.00% AshgroveJim FourasALP1.32% ThuringowaKen McElligottALP1.34% SunnybankStephen RobertsonALP1.37% CurrumbinMerri RoseALP1.53% TownsvilleGeoff SmithALP1.78% Hervey BayBill NunnALP1.92% Mount GravattJudy SpenceALP2.05% CabooltureJon SullivanALP2.27% CairnsKeith De LacyALP2.35% ClevelandDarryl BriskeyALP2.45% Ferny GroveGlen MillinerALP3.25% Mount Coot-thaWendy EdmondALP3.48% KallangurKen HaywardALP4.00% ChatsworthTerry MackenrothALP4.23% YerongaMatt FoleyALP4.60% ChermsideTerry SullivanALP5.34% Ipswich WestDon LivingstoneALP5.49% MackayTim MulherinALP5.66% KurwongbahMargaret WoodgateALP5.90%Fairly Safe ArcherfieldRod WelfordALP6.11% RockhamptonRobert SchwartenALP6.42% IpswichDavid HamillALP6.44% FitzroyJim PearceALP6.62% MurrumbaDean WellsALP7.20% CookSteve BredhauerALP7.69% SandgateGordon NuttallALP7.89% CapalabaJim ElderALP8.73% WaterfordTom BartonALP9.11% KedronPaul BraddyALP9.19%Safe Brisbane CentralPeter BeattieALP10.28% South BrisbaneAnna BlighALP10.69% NudgeeNeil RobertsALP10.74% LyttonTom BurnsALP11.31% BulimbaPat PurcellALP12.59% BundambaBob GibbsALP14.83% LoganWayne GossALP16.92% WoodridgeBill D'ArcyALP18.14% Mount IsaTony McGradyALP18.72% InalaHenry PalaszczukALP18.86% National/Liberal seats (43)MarginalGreenslopesTed RadkeLIB0.11%Barron RiverLyn WarwickLIB0.39%MulgraveNaomi WilsonNAT0.47%Mount OmmaneyBob HarperLIB1.68%AlbertBill BaumannNAT3.89%RedlandsJohn HegartyNAT4.59%SouthportMick VeiversNAT4.81%Fairly SafeMansfieldFrank CarrollLIB6.70%BurleighJudy GaminNAT7.31%CaloundraJoan SheldonLIB8.08%MiraniTed MaloneNAT9.07%AspleyJohn GossLIB9.20%BeaudesertKev LingardNAT9.46%Toowoomba NorthGraham HealyNAT9.64%SafeKeppelVince LesterNAT10.35%BurdekinMark StonemanNAT10.57%SpringwoodLuke WoolmerLIB10.77%BurnettDoug SlackNAT11.09%BroadwaterAllan GriceNAT11.20%NoosaBruce DavidsonLIB11.22%MaroochydoreFiona SimpsonNAT12.26%GympieLen StephanNAT12.59%NicklinNeil TurnerNAT12.84%IndooroopillyDenver BeanlandLIB13.25%NerangRay ConnorLIB13.59%ClayfieldSanto SantoroLIB14.17%HinchinbrookMarc RowellNAT14.71%MerrimacBob QuinnLIB15.43%Charters TowersRob MitchellNAT15.60%Toowoomba SouthMike HoranNAT16.28%MoggillDavid WatsonLIB16.92%GregoryVaughan JohnsonNAT18.90%MooloolahBruce LamingLIB19.31%WarwickLawrence SpringborgNAT19.58%Very SafeWarregoHoward HobbsNAT20.69%LockyerTony FitzgeraldNAT20.82%Surfers ParadiseRob BorbidgeNAT21.76%TablelandsTom GilmoreNAT23.95%CunninghamTony ElliottNAT23.80%BarambahTrevor PerrettNAT24.40%Crows NestRussell CooperNAT25.55%CallideDi McCauleyNAT27.74%Western DownsBrian LittleproudNAT29.41%Crossbench seats (1)GladstoneLiz CunninghamIND3.07% v ALP

Subsequent changes

On 8 December 1995, the Court of Disputed Returns declared the election in Mundingburra void and ordered a by-election. At the by-election on 3 February 1996, Frank Tanti gained the seat for the Liberal Party. This gave both the Labor Government and the National-Liberal Coalition 44 seats each, with 1 Independent. On 12 February, Independent Liz Cunningham announced her support for a National-Liberal Coalition minority government, and the Labor government resigned on 19 February. On 16 May 1996, former Labor Deputy Premier Tom Burns (Lytton) resigned. At the by-election on 5 October 1996, Paul Lucas retained the seat for the Labor Party. On 17 March 1997, Labor Party member Margaret Woodgate (Kurwongbah) resigned. At the by-election on 24 May 1997, Linda Lavarch retained the seat for the Labor Party.

See also Candidates of the Queensland state election, 1995 Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 1992–1995 Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 1995–1998 Goss Ministry

References