Labor takes fifth term in Qld election .. Mar 21, 2009
The LNP required a swing of more than 8 per cent, but fell around 4.5 per cent short. (ABC TV)
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Labor will be returned to power in Queensland despite a swing against it and is heading for a double-digit majority.
Anna Bligh has become the first elected female premier in [my Aussi filler] Australian history, with her Labor government winning the Queensland election. LOL
The LNP required a swing of more than 8 per cent to win power in its own right, but managed a swing of almost 3.5 per cent.
Liberal National Party Leader Lawrence Springborg has conceded defeat in the tally room in Brisbane.
"Some things aren't meant to be," he said.
"Premier Bligh ran a very significant and very formidable campaign.
"She did an outstanding job in this election campaign."
Mr Springborg said Ms Bligh had achieved a mandate with her election victory.
Queensland Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce says the LNP and its supporters should not be too disappointed with their loss.
"Don't crawl into the scotch bottle and cry yourself to sleep because you only got 49 per cent of the two-party preferred vote," he said.
He says the conservatives have made progress.
"There is certainly a move by the people of Queensland towards a change, but let's not cloud the issue that this is a loss," he said.
"The LNP will be gaining seats all the way through the night and their position in the parliament is getting stronger and stronger as the night goes on."
Treasurer Andrew Fraser says the LNP has not done well enough in some of the marginal regional seats to secure a victory.
"Hervey Bay and Whitsunday are those seats right at the bottom of the pendulum, and that tells the story of what's going on in regional Queensland in seats that should have been early victories for the LNP," he said.
LNP 'still a force'
Rob Borbidge, who was Queensland's last conservative premier, says Mr Springborg has done a good job throughout the campaign.
He says the LNP has proven it can be a force.
"I think this has demonstrated the importance of the LNP," he said.
"I think it has been a substantial achievement [and] one way or the other, regardless of the outcome tonight, will change the dimension of Queensland politics for ever."
Queensland Tourism Minister and the newly re-elected Member for Cairns, Desley Boyle, is celebrating her win in the state election.
"We were all very nervous, I have to say, at the beginning of the campaign," she said.
"None of us were confident of holding our seats."
Ms Boyle would not speculate on whether she would be given her ministerial position again, following her slip-up earlier in the week over who would choose the ministry.
"That's entirely now a matter for the Premier," she said.
"I made the mistake in terms of the new system.
"That's a matter for her."
Ms Boyle is confident more seats in north Queensland will go to the ALP.
"It is a celebration, for Barron River and for Mulgrave, we believe that Cook will come across those from Thursday Island," she said.
Bligh 'tough as teak'
Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan attributed Ms Bligh's success to her resilience.
"I've been in Canberra for a lot of the time and I've read about the campaign and they've thrown everything at Anna Bligh in this campaign," he said.
"You've had the weather, you've had the oil slick, you've had that big time for a change campaign.
"Despite all of that she appears to have come through, she is tough as teak, and I think that is what this campaign and this election's showing."
Mr Swan says Ms Bligh's staying power is helped by the ALP team in Queensland.
"Anna Bligh and her team were campaigning for a fifth term, John Howard couldn't even pull that one off," he said.
"So there was a very big time for change campaign out there.
"If you look at the way the LNP campaigned, they campaigned on a time for a change theme and certainly it was fertile ground, but it seems to have been rejected by the people."
He says despite the global economic downturn, Ms Bligh remains tough on protecting Queensland jobs.
"What has shone through here has been Anna Bligh's resilience I think her campaign for jobs, her commitment to infrastructure in the face of the global recession," he said.
"When the going got tough, Anna Bligh got going and her team was with her.
"Given the time for a change sentiment I believe that the result we've seen tonight is entirely the work of Anna Bligh."
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