The 2015 Queensland state election was held on 31 January 2015 to elect all 89 members of the unicameral Legislative Assembly of Queensland.
The centre-right Liberal National Party (LNP), led by Premier Campbell Newman, attempted to win a second term but was defeated by the opposition centre-left Australian Labor Party (ALP), led by Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk. Labor formed a minority government with the support of the lone independent MP in the chamber, Peter Wellington. It is only the seventh change of government in Queensland since 1915, and only the third time since 1932 that a sitting government in the state has failed to win a second term. Furthermore, Annastacia Palaszczuk became the first woman to win government from opposition in a state election (eventual Chief Minister Clare Martin led the Labor Party to victory from opposition in 2001 at an election in the Northern Territory).
The previous election saw Labor, which had governed the state for all but two years since 1989, suffer the worst defeat of a sitting government in the state's history. The LNP won 78 seats—the largest majority government in Queensland history—compared to seven for Labor, two for Katter's Australian Party, and two won by independents. Following Labor's defeat former Premier Anna Bligh retired from politics and was succeeded as party leader by her former Transport Minister, Palaszczuk. Months later, Ray Hopper left the LNP to lead Katter's Australian Party while two further LNP MPs became independents, resulting in a total of 75 LNP seats, seven Labor seats, three Katter seats and four independent seats. Two by-elections saw Labor defeat the LNP, reducing the LNP to 73 seats with Labor on 9 seats. Although Labor hoped to regain much of what it lost in its severe defeat of three years earlier, most polls pointed to the LNP being returned for another term with a reduced majority.
On election night, the outcome of the election was inconclusive, though most political analysts projected that the LNP had lost its majority after suffering what ended up being a record 14-point two-party swing. Newman was defeated in his seat of Ashgrove to his predecessor, Kate Jones—only the second time since Federation that a sitting Queensland premier has lost their own seat. With the outcome in his own seat beyond doubt, Newman announced his retirement from politics, though remained as caretaker premier pending the final results. According to projections from both ABC News and Brisbane's The Courier-Mail, Labor had taken at least 30 seats from the LNP, and was very close to picking up the 36-seat swing it needed to form government in its own right—a feat initially thought impossible when the writs were issued. On the day after the election, both outlets had Labor either two or three seats short of a majority. Political analysts opined that the balance of power was likely to rest with Katter's Australian Party and independent Wellington.
Wellington announced on 5 February he would support a Palaszczuk-led Labor minority government on confidence and supply while retaining the right to vote on conscience. On 13 February, the Electoral Commission of Queensland declared the results of the election. Labor won 44 seats, one short of a majority, putting Labor in a position to form a minority government in the hung parliament. Even allowing for the LNP's previously overwhelming majority, the 37-seat swing is the second-largest shift of seats against a sitting government in Queensland since Federation, only exceeded by the 44-seat shift against Labor in 2012. Conversely, the two-party swing of 13.7 points in 2012 was exceeded by the 2015 two-party swing of 14.0 points.
Palaszczuk approached Governor Paul de Jersey on 11 February and advised him that she could form a minority government. Palaszczuk and de Jersey met again on 13 February. At that meeting, de Jersey formally invited Palaszczuk to form a government, an invitation that Palaszczuk accepted. On 14 February, Palaszczuk was sworn in as the 39th Premier of Queensland.
Background
The last state election to be held was the 2012 Queensland state election where the Australian Labor Party led by Premier Anna Bligh attempted to win a second term as Premier in her own right and a third term overall and a sixth consecutive term in office. Opposing her was the Liberal National Party led by Campbell Newman. The election was the second for Bligh who had succeeded Peter Beattie as Premier in 2007. Newman was the former Lord Mayor of Brisbane from 2004 to 2011, having resigned the position to run for Premier.
As Newman did not have a seat in state parliament, he chose to contest preselection in the seat of Ashgrove for the 2012 election, and lead the party from outside of parliament until the election. Jeff Seeney served as Opposition Leader in the parliament.
The Labor Party went into the election with a modest margin with 51 seats, while the Liberal National Party had 32 seats. Labor was defeated in an historic landslide, the LNP winning 78 seats to just seven for Labor, with Newman winning Ashgrove from the former Environment Minister, Kate Jones.
Aidan McLindon, the parliamentary leader of the Katter's Australia Party, lost his seat of Beaudesert, but the KAP won two seats. Only two of the independent members were re-elected.
Three by-elections occurred after the 2012 state election. Labor candidate Yvette D'Ath won the 2014 Redcliffe by-election in February, and Labor candidate Anthony Lynham won the 2014 Stafford by-election in July. Jackie Trad held Bligh's former seat of South Brisbane of Labor in an April 2012 by-election, following Bligh's resignation from parliament.
On 5 January 2015, media organisations reported that Newman intended to announce the election date the next day. On 6 January, Newman confirmed on Twitter that he had visited acting governor Tim Carmody and writs had been issued for an election on 31 January. This was the first time in over a century that an Australian general election was held in January. The last January election was held in Tasmania in 1913 and the last on the mainland was the New South Wales colonial election of 1874–75.
The election was held on the same day as the 2015 Davenport state by-election in South Australia.
Key dates Date Event 6 January 2015 Writ of election issued by the acting Governor 10 January 2015 Close of electoral rolls 13 January 2015 Close of nominations 31 January 2015 Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm 10 February 2015 Cut off for the return of postal ballot papers 13 February 2015 Election results declared, Annastacia Palaszczuk is asked to form government 14 February 2015 Interim Palaszczuk Ministry is sworn in 16 February 2015 Full Palaszczuk Ministry sworn in 16 February 2015 Writ returned and results formally declared 24 March 2015 55th Parliament convened
Retiring members
Labor
Tim Mulherin (Mackay) – Announced 9 January 2015 Desley Scott (Woodridge) – Announced 11 March 2014
Liberal National
Peter Dowling (Redlands) – Lost preselection 25 October 2014 Bruce Flegg (Moggill) – Lost preselection 7 December 2014 David Gibson (Gympie) – Announced 2 May 2014 Howard Hobbs (Warrego) – Announced 5 September 2014 Vaughan Johnson (Gregory) – Announced 2 October 2014 Ted Malone (Mirani) – Announced 26 September 2014 Rosemary Menkens (Burdekin) – Announced 19 September 2014
Independent
Liz Cunningham (Gladstone) – Announced 6 January 2015
Results
Seats changing hands Seat 2012 Election Swing 2015 Election Party Member Margin Margin Member Party Algester Liberal National Anthony Shorten 9.15 −16.14 6.99 Leeanne Enoch Labor Ashgrove Liberal National Campbell Newman 5.70 −9.95 4.25 Kate Jones Labor Barron River Liberal National Michael Trout 9.48 −12.60 3.12 Craig Crawford Labor Brisbane Central Liberal National Robert Cavallucci 4.88 −8.13 3.25 Grace Grace Labor Bulimba Liberal National Aaron Dillaway 0.14 −6.28 6.14 Di Farmer Labor Bundaberg Liberal National Jack Dempsey 18.17 −19.79 1.62 Leanne Donaldson Labor Cairns Liberal National Gavin King 8.87 −17.32 8.45 Rob Pyne Labor Capalaba Liberal National Steve Davies 3.73 −10.79 7.06 Don Brown Labor Cook Liberal National David Kempton 3.43 −10.20 6.77 Billy Gordon Labor Ferny Grove Liberal National Dale Shuttleworth 9.52 −10.34 0.82 Mark Furner Labor Gladstone Independent Liz Cunningham 14.03 −25.93 11.89 Glenn Butcher Labor Greenslopes Liberal National Ian Kaye 2.45 −6.70 4.25 Joe Kelly Labor Ipswich Liberal National Ian Berry 4.19 −20.09 15.90 Jennifer Howard Labor Ipswich West Liberal National Sean Choat 7.16 −14.88 7.71 Jim Madden Labor Kallangur Liberal National Trevor Ruthenberg 12.43 −18.57 6.13 Shane King Labor Keppel Liberal National Bruce Young 6.39 −11.19 4.80 Brittany Lauga Labor Logan Liberal National Michael Pucci 4.80 −15.63 10.82 Linus Power Labor Lytton Liberal National Neil Symes 1.58 −11.37 9.80 Joan Pease Labor Maryborough Liberal National Anne Maddern 0.31 −1.96 1.65 Bruce Saunders Labor Mirani Liberal National Ted Malone 11.19 −16.01 4.82 Jim Pearce Labor Morayfield Liberal National Darren Grimwade 5.57 −17.49 11.91 Mark Ryan Labor Mount Coot-tha Liberal National Saxon Rice 5.36 −7.94 2.59 Steven Miles Labor Mundingburra Liberal National David Crisafulli 10.19 −12.95 2.76 Coralee O'Rourke Labor Murrumba Liberal National Reg Gulley 9.52 −16.88 7.35 Chris Whiting Labor Nudgee Liberal National Jason Woodforth 3.11 −14.36 11.25 Leanne Linard Labor Pine Rivers Liberal National Seath Holswich 13.66 −21.34 7.68 Nikki Boyd Labor Pumicestone Liberal National Lisa France 12.07 −14.16 2.08 Rick Williams Labor Sandgate Liberal National Kerry Millard 2.87 −12.96 10.10 Stirling Hinchliffe Labor Springwood Liberal National John Grant 15.39 −17.13 1.73 Mick de Brenni Labor Stretton Liberal National Freya Ostapovitch 9.55 −14.54 4.98 Duncan Pegg Labor Sunnybank Liberal National Mark Stewart 10.23 −17.42 7.19 Peter Russo Labor Thuringowa Liberal National Sam Cox 1.38 −6.92 5.54 Aaron Harper Labor Townsville Liberal National John Hathaway 4.83 −10.52 5.69 Scott Stewart Labor Waterford Liberal National Mike Latter 1.04 −14.37 13.33 Shannon Fentiman Labor Yeerongpilly Liberal National Carl Judge1 1.44 −14.74 13.30 Mark Bailey Labor
Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election. 1 Carl Judge was elected as a member of the Liberal National Party, but resigned and contested the election as an independent. The Liberal National Party also retained the seat of Condamine, where the sitting member had resigned from the Liberal National Party, but contested Nanango as a member of Katter's Australian Party. The Liberal National Party also retained the seat of Gaven, where the sitting member had resigned from the Liberal National Party and contested the election as an independent.
Post-election pendulum