Labour’s, hopes rise after Queensland poll
NZPA Brisbane Queensland’s National-Lib-eral Party coalition Government was returned to office in a State election on Saturday, but with a reduced majority. The main features of the poll were a swing to the Labour Party of about 8 per cent, and the strong showing by Australian Democrat candidates in the 12 seats they contested.
If the swing to Labour was reflected nationally, it would give the Labour Party a chance of winning the Federal General Election next month.
The Labour Party appears certain to double its repre* sentation in the Queensland Parliament, gaining at least ten seats to make its total 21.
With 79.6 per cent of the total vote counted, the Nationals are expected to hold 36 seats and the Liberals 24 to 27. Eleven seats are still doubtful. Tally room' officials said the National Party outpolled the Liberals for the first time, gaining 27 per cent of the total vote to the Liberals’ 25 per cent.
The Australian Democrats polled 10 per cent of the
votes counted in the 12 seats they contested. The Queensland chairman of the Australian Democrats (Mr Graham Maskiell) said the party’s showing made it virtually certain that a Democrat senator would be elected from Queensland in the Federal Election.
He said he was delighted at the party’s performance, and the results had given the Democrats an enormous national boost. Mr Maskiell said he was particularly pleased with the showing in the Brisbane metropolitan seat of Toowong, where the party captured 19.2 per cent of the vote. The leaders of the three big parties have all expressed satisfaction with the result of the poll. The Premier (Mr Joh Bjelke-Petersen) said he was not disappointed with the result, although he conceded that his National Party had lost at least two seats.
The Liberal Party leader and Deputy Premier (Mr Bill Knox) said he was pleased with his party’s number of seats and the oversail results.
The Labour Opposition leader (Mr Tom Bums) said the swing to the Labour Party in the election was a good sign for the party at the Federal poll.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19771114.2.69.13
Bibliographic details
Press, 14 November 1977, Page 9
Word Count
354Labour’s, hopes rise after Queensland poll Press, 14 November 1977, Page 9
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.
Log in