2009 Queensland state election

The 2009 Queensland state election was held on 21 March 2009 to elect all 89 members of the Legislative Assembly, a unicameral parliament.

The election saw the incumbent Labor government led by Premier Anna Bligh defeat the Liberal National Party of Queensland led by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, and gain a fifth consecutive term in office for her party. Bligh thus became the first female Premier of any Australian state elected in her own right.

This was the first election contested by the LNP following its creation with the merger of the National and Liberal parties.

The 2009 election marked the eighth consecutive victory of Labor in a general election since 1989, although it was out of office between 1996 and 1998 as a direct result of the 1996 Mundingburra by-election.

Background

The Labor Party, led by Premier Anna Bligh, and the LNP, led by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, were the two main parties in Queensland at the election. It was the first election contested by the LNP following its creation with the merger of the National and Liberal parties. At the previous election, Labor won 59 seats, the Nationals won 17 seats, the Liberals won eight seats, One Nation won one seat, and independents won four seats. Former Labor MP Ronan Lee joined the Greens in 2008, thus becoming their parliamentary leader. Lee lost his seat at the election.

A redistribution saw Labor notionally pick up three seats. Therefore, the LNP notionally needed to pick up 22 seats rather than 20 seats to form a majority government, which equated to an unchanged uniform 8.3 percent two-party-preferred swing.

Former Premier Peter Beattie resigned in September 2007, which triggered the October 2007 Brisbane Central by-election.

Key dates Date Event 23 February 2009 Writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election. 28 February 2009 Close of electoral rolls 3 March 2009 Close of nominations 21 March 2009 Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm 26 March 2009 The Bligh Ministry was reconstitutedQueensland, Gazette: Extraordinary , No 71, 26 March 2009, 1307 7 April 2009 The writ was returned and the results formally declared 12 April 2009 53rd Parliament convened

Electoral redistribution A redistribution of electoral boundaries occurred in 2008.

The electorates of Charters Towers, Cunningham, Darling Downs, Fitzroy, Kurwongbah, Mount Gravatt, Robina, and Tablelands were abolished.

The electorates of Buderim, Condamine, Coomera, Dalrymple, Mermaid Beach, Morayfield, Pine Rivers, and Sunnybank were created.

The redistribution merged Charters Towers with Tablelands to create the notionally National-held Dalrymple, Fitzroy into Mirani, and Cunningham with Darling Downs to create the notionally National-held Condamine, all in regional Queensland. Notionally Liberal-held Buderim was created on the Sunshine Coast, notionally Labor-held Morayfield in the corridor north of Brisbane, and notionally Labor-held Coomera was created on the Gold Coast. Kurwongbah was renamed Pine Rivers, Mount Gravatt was renamed Sunnybank, and Robina was renamed Mermaid Beach. Burdekin, Clayfield, and Mirani became notionally Labor-held, while Glass House became notionally National-held.

The changes resulted in 62 notionally Labor-held seats, 8 notionally Liberal-held seats, 15 notionally National-held seats, and 4 notionally Independent-held seats. All Liberal-held and National-held seats became Liberal National-held seats.

Retiring members

Labor

Chris Bombolas MP (Chatsworth) – Announced 19 February 2009 Gary Fenlon MP (Greenslopes) – Announced 15 February 2009 Ken Hayward MP (Kallangur) Linda Lavarch MP (Kurwongbah) Jim Pearce MP (Fitzroy) Warren Pitt MP (Mulgrave) – Announced 17 February 2009 Pat Purcell MP (Bulimba) Mike Reynolds MP (Townsville) – Announced 15 February 2009 Rod Welford MP (Everton)

Liberal National

Kev Lingard MP (Beaudesert)

Results

Seats changing hands

Seat 2008 Redistribution Swing 2009 Election Party Member Margin Margin Member Party Aspley  Labor Bonny Barry 3.0 -7.46 4.46 Tracy Davis Liberal National  Burdekin Labor notional 0.9 -4.05 3.15 Rosemary Menkens Liberal National Clayfield Labor notional 0.3 -6.14 5.84 Tim Nicholls Liberal National Cleveland Labor Phil Weightman 1.2 -1.48 0.28 Mark Robinson Liberal National Coomera Labor notional 8.3 -10.21 1.91 Michael Crandon Liberal National Gaven Labor Phil Gray 3.2 -3.92 0.72 Alex Douglas Liberal National Hervey Bay Labor Andrew McNamara 2.1 -8.60 6.50 Ted Sorensen Liberal National Indooroopilly Labor Ronan Lee¹ 2.7 -8.57 5.87 Scott Emerson Liberal National Mirani Labor Jim Pearce 1.2 -1.79 0.59 Ted Malone Liberal National Mudgeeraba Labor Dianne Reilly 2.7 -6.62 3.92 Ros Bates Liberal National Redlands Labor John English 6.7 -6.77 0.07 Peter Dowling Liberal National

Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election. ¹ Ronan Lee was elected as a member of the Labor Party, but resigned and joined the Greens. The Liberal National Party retained the seat of Glass House which had a notional Liberal National margin.

Post-election pendulum Government seatsMarginalChatsworthSteve KilburnALP0.14%EvertonMurray WattALP1.39%BroadwaterPeta-Kaye CroftALP2.03%CookJason O'BrienALP2.24%Barron RiverSteve WettenhallALP2.32%Toowoomba NorthKerry ShineALP3.22%WhitsundayJan JarrattALP3.24%SouthportPeter LawlorALP3.48%TownsvilleMandy JohnstoneALP4.02%SpringwoodBarbara StoneALP4.08%CairnsDesley BoyleALP4.15%MansfieldPhil ReevesALP4.39%Ferny GroveGeoff WilsonALP4.49%Pine RiversCarolyn MaleALP4.61%KallangurMary-Anne O'NeillALP4.63%Mount OmmaneyJulie AttwoodALP4.79%BurleighChristine SmithALP4.90%PumicestoneCarryn SullivanALP4.99%Mount Coot-thaAndrew FraserALP5.25%RedcliffeLillian van LitsenburgALP5.57%Mount IsaBetty KiernanALP5.72%Brisbane CentralGrace GraceALP5.97%Fairly SafeAlbertMargaret KeechALP6.47%MundingburraLindy Nelson-CarrALP6.59%GreenslopesCameron DickALP6.94%AshgroveKate JonesALP7.10%MurrumbaDean WellsALP7.21%StaffordStirling HinchliffeALP7.29%KeppelPaul HoolihanALP7.62% BulimbaDi FarmerALP7.77%MulgraveCurtis PittALP8.08%ThuringowaCraig WallaceALP8.47%YeerongpillySimon FinnALP8.73%MorayfieldMark RyanALP9.13%AlgesterKaren StruthersALP9.21%StrettonStephen RobertsonALP9.48%Ipswich WestWayne WendtALP9.55%CapalabaMichael ChoiALP9.67%SafeSunnybankJudy SpenceALP10.79%LyttonPaul LucasALP12.21%SandgateVicky DarlingALP12.37%LoganJohn MickelALP13.93%NudgeeNeil RobertsALP14.26%South BrisbaneAnna BlighALP15.01%WaterfordEvan MoorheadALP16.46%IpswichRachel NolanALP16.71%MackayTim MulherinALP16.72%RockhamptonRobert SchwartenALP17.92% Very SafeBundambaJo-Ann MillerALP21.23%InalaAnnastacia PalaszczukALP21.53%WoodridgeDesley ScottALP25.37%

Non-government seats MarginalRedlandsPeter DowlingLNP0.07%ClevelandMark RobinsonLNP0.28%MiraniTed MaloneLNP0.59%GavenAlex DouglasLNP0.72%CoomeraMichael CrandonLNP1.91%BurdekinRosemary MenkensLNP3.15%MudgeerabaRos BatesLNP3.92%AspleyTracy DavisLNP4.46%DalrympleShane KnuthLNP5.18% v ONPGlass HouseAndrew PowellLNP5.81%ClayfieldTim NichollsLNP5.84%IndooroopillyScott EmersonLNP5.87%Fairly SafeBundabergJack DempseyLNP6.02%CaloundraMark McArdleLNP6.20%Hervey BayTed SorensenLNP6.50%CurrumbinJann StuckeyLNP6.89%KawanaJarrod BleijieLNP6.93%LockyerIan RickussLNP7.61%Toowoomba SouthMike HoranLNP8.22%BeaudesertAidan McLindonLNP8.31% SafeMermaid BeachRay StevensLNP10.81%BurnettRob MessengerLNP11.10%MoggillBruce FleggLNP11.28%CondamineRay HopperLNP11.56% v INDMaroochydoreFiona SimpsonLNP12.80%GregoryVaughan JohnsonLNP14.26%BuderimSteve DicksonLNP14.28%HinchinbrookAndrew CrippsLNP14.69%Surfers ParadiseJohn-Paul LangbroekLNP16.52%CallideJeff SeeneyLNP19.36%NoosaGlen ElmesLNP19.85%Very SafeSouthern DownsLawrence SpringborgLNP21.08%WarregoHoward HobbsLNP24.38%GympieDavid GibsonLNP27.21%Crossbench seatsNanangoDorothy PrattIND2.90% v LNP GladstoneLiz CunninghamIND6.13% v ALPNicklinPeter WellingtonIND16.31% v LNPMaryboroughChris FoleyIND16.83% v LNP

Subsequent changes

On 5 May 2010, Aidan McLindon (Beaudesert) and Rob Messenger (Burnett) resigned from the Liberal National Party. On 11 October 2011, Aidan McLindon joined Katter's Australian Party. On 31 October 2011, Shane Knuth (Dalrymple) resigned from the Liberal National Party and joined the Katter's Australian Party.

Polling Newspoll polling was conducted via random telephone number selection in city and country areas. Sampling sizes usually consist of around 1000 electors, with the declared margin of error at around ±3 percent.

+ Better Premier ratings^ Date LaborBligh Coalition/LNPSpringborg18 – 19 Mar 200953%33%27 Feb – 8 Mar 200948%34%Jan – Feb 200948%31%Oct – Dec 200849%30%Jul – Sep 200853%27%Apr – Jun 200860%24%Jan – Mar 200864%18%Oct – Dec 200766%11%2Jul – Sep 200754%125%2Apr – Jun 200754%119%2Pre 2006 election58%128%Pre 2004 election62%122%Polling conducted by Newspoll and published in The Australian.^ Remainder were "uncommitted" to either leader. 1 Peter Beattie, 2 Jeff Seeney

+Legislative Assembly opinion pollingPolitical partiesTwo party preferredDatesALPLibNatLNPGrnFFPOthALPLNP18 – 19 Mar 200942%42%7%0.5%8%49.9%50.1%27 Feb – 8 Mar 200941%43%8%<0.5%8%49%51%Jan – Feb 200942%41%7%<0.5%10%53%47%Oct – Dec 200845%37%8%<0.5%10%57%43%Jul – Sep 200838%41%9%1%11%51%49%Apr – Jun 200843%26%12%38%10%<0.5%9%55%45%Jan – Mar 200850%22%10%32%8%<0.5%10%60%40%Oct – Dec 200750%26%9%35%6%1%8%59%41%Jul – Sep 200750%21%12%33%5%2%10%59%41%Apr – Jun 200751%20%11%31%6%1%11%61%39%2006 election46.9%20.1%17.8%37.9%8.0%1.9%5.3%55.0%45.0%6 – 7 Sep 200648%21%17%38%4%1%9%55%45%2004 election47%18.5%17%35.5%6.7%4.9%5.9%55.5%44.5%Polling conducted by Newspoll and published in The Australian.

See also Candidates of the 2009 Queensland state election Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 2006–2009 Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 2009–2012 2009 Liberal National Party of Queensland leadership election

Notes

References

External links Electoral Commission Queensland 2009 Queensland election - Antony Green ABC