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2012 Queensland state election

none

Field	Value
election_name	2012 Queensland state election
country	Queensland
type	parliamentary
ongoing	no
previous_election	2009 Queensland state election
previous_year	2009
election_date
next_election	2015 Queensland state election
next_year	2015
seats_for_election	All 89 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland
45 Assembly seats were needed for a majority
turnout	91.00% ( 0.07 pp)
image1	[[File:Campbell Newman being interviewed (cropped).jpg	x170px]]
leader1	Campbell Newman
party1	Liberal National Party of Queensland
leader_since1
leaders_seat1	Ashgrove
(won seat)
last_election1	34 seats, 41.60%
seats_before1	33 seats
seats1	78
seat_change1	45
popular_vote1	1,214,553
percentage1	49.7%
swing1	8.1
image2	[[File:Anna Bligh crop.jpg	x170px]]
leader2	Anna Bligh
leader_since2
party2	Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch)
leaders_seat2	South Brisbane
popular_vote2	652,092
percentage2	26.7%
swing2	15.6
last_election2	51 seats, 42.25%
seats_before2	51 seats
seats2	7
seat_change2	44
1blank	TPP
1data1	62.8%
1data2	37.2%
2blank	TPP swing
2data1	13.7
2data2	13.7
image3	[[File:Aidan McLindon (cropped).JPG	x170px]]
leader3	Aidan McLindon
leader_since3
party3	Katter's Australian Party
leaders_seat3	Beaudesert
(lost seat)
popular_vote3	282,098
percentage3	11.5%
swing3	11.5
last_election3	Did not contest
seats_before3	1 seat
seats3	2
seat_change3	1
map_image	2012 Queensland state election.svg
map_size	400px
map_caption	Winning margin by electorate.
title	Premier
before_election	Anna Bligh
before_party	Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch)
after_election	Campbell Newman
after_party	Liberal National Party of Queensland

45 Assembly seats were needed for a majority

(won seat)

(lost seat)

The 2012 Queensland state election was held on 24 March 2012 to elect all 89 members of the Legislative Assembly, a unicameral parliament.

The Labor Party (ALP), led by Premier Anna Bligh, was defeated by the opposition Liberal National Party (LNP), led by Campbell Newman in a landslide victory. It is only the sixth time that Queenslanders have ousted a sitting government since 1915. The ALP was attempting to win a ninth consecutive election victory, having won every general election since 1989, despite being out of office between 1996 and 1998. Katter's Australian Party contested its first election. Before the election, it held two seats whose members had been elected as LNP candidates.

Labor suffered one of the worst defeats of a state government since Federation, and the worst defeat of a sitting government in Queensland history. From 51 seats in 2009, it was reduced to only seven seats, suffering a swing of 15.6 percentage points. The LNP won a majority for the first time in its history, jumping from 34 to 78 seats to win the largest majority government in Queensland history. It was the first outright non-Labor majority since the Queensland Nationals won their last victory in 1986. Katter's Australian Party won two seats, though leader Aidan McLindon lost his own seat. The remaining two seats were taken by independents. Newman took office two days after the election.

Historically, Queenslanders have given their governments long tenures in office. The 2012 election marked only the sixth change of government in the state since 1915.

Background

In choosing 24 March, Bligh made the unusual step of announcing the election date two months prior. Bligh was criticised for selecting a date which required the postponement of local government elections. Bligh has said that date allowed Queenslanders to view the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into the 2010–11 Queensland floods before they vote. Normal practice in Australia is for parliament to be dissolved at the time of the election announcement. However, Bligh did not formally ask Governor Penelope Wensley to dissolve Parliament until 19 February. Wensley granted the request, formally beginning the 35-day campaign. By not asking for a dissolution in January, Bligh avoided placing the government in caretaker mode for 25 days.

Leadership of the Liberal National Party

Campbell Newman was elected leader of the LNP in early 2011 while he was the Lord Mayor of Brisbane. Standard practice calls for an MP from a safe seat to resign so that a newly elected leader can get into parliament via a by-election, though this is not universally followed. However, when Newman won the leadership in 2011, a by-election could not be arranged. For this reason, Jeff Seeney was elected as interim parliamentary leader of the LNP and Leader of the Opposition. Newman led the LNP election team from outside of parliament, often sitting at the galleries, and simultaneously contested the seat of Ashgrove as the LNP candidate.

Disendorsed candidates

The Liberal National Party disendorsed two candidates for the Gold Coast seat of Broadwater. Richard Townson was caught drink driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.07 when he was in a police random breath test. Cameron Caldwell was disendorsed when he confirmed he had attended a Gold Coast swingers' club.

The Australian Labor Party disendorsed candidate Peter Watson for the seat of Southern Downs and expelled him from the party for making racist and homophobic remarks online.

Katter appeal on ballot papers

On 2 March 2012, Katter's Australian Party sought an injunction in the Supreme Court of Queensland to have more than 2 million ballot papers shredded and reprinted. The party said the Queensland Electoral Commission used the party's abbreviated name, "The Australian Party", instead of its registered name, "Katter's Australian Party (Qld Division)", which the party claimed could confuse voters. Bligh said that her lawyers had advised her to reschedule the election if Katter's challenge succeeded.

On 7 March, Supreme Court Justice Roslyn Atkinson referred the matter to the Queensland Court of Appeal as matters of constitutional law in the case were outside her jurisdiction. The Court of Appeal rejected the constitutional arguments and dismissed the appeal the following day.

Key dates

Date	Event
19 February 2012	Writ of election issued by the Governor
25 February 2012	Close of electoral rolls
27 February 2012	Close of nominations
24 March 2012	Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm
26 March 2012	date=26 March 2012	title=Newman team moves into George Street	url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/state-election-2012/newman-team-moves-into-george-street-20120326-1vt1b.html	url-status=live	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329025531/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/state-election-2012/newman-team-moves-into-george-street-20120326-1vt1b.html	archive-date=29 March 2012	access-date=26 March 2012	work=Brisbane Times}}
3 April 2012	Full Newman Ministry sworn
23 April 2012	Writ returned and results formally declared
15 May 2012	54th Parliament convened

Retiring members

Labor

Julie Attwood (Mount Ommaney) – Announced 16 January 2012
Desley Boyle (Cairns) – Announced 17 February 2011
Paul Lucas (Lytton) – Announced 15 September 2011
Carolyn Male (Pine Rivers) – Announced 3 February 2012
John Mickel (Logan) – Announced 10 August 2011
Lindy Nelson-Carr (Mundingburra) – Announced 28 March 2011
Neil Roberts (Nudgee) – Announced 12 December 2011
Stephen Robertson (Stretton) – Announced 27 March 2011
Robert Schwarten (Rockhampton) – Announced 17 February 2011
Judy Spence (Sunnybank) – Announced 15 December 2010

Liberal National

Mike Horan (Toowoomba South) – Announced 26 March 2011

Independent

Dorothy Pratt (Nanango) – Announced 15 April 2011

Results

The estimated two-party preferred result was 37.2% for Labor and 62.8% for the LNP, a swing of 13.7% from Labor's result of 2009.

The LNP had been unbackable favourites to win the election. By the time the writs were issued, they had led opinion polling for over a year, and had been ahead of Labor on all but one Newspoll since 2010.

The LNP swept Labor from power in a massive landslide, taking 78 seats to Labor's seven on a two-party-preferred swing of 13.7 points away from Labor. The 44-seat loss is double the 22-seat loss suffered by the Nationals in the 1989 election, the previous record for the worst defeat of a sitting government in Queensland history. The 13.7-percent swing is one of the largest against a sitting state government in Australia since World War II.

In the process, the LNP won many seats considered Labor heartland. It broke Labor's longstanding grip on Brisbane, taking all but three of the city's 40 seats, some on swings of 10 points or more. By comparison, Labor went into the election holding all but six seats in the capital, which had been its power base for over 20 years. In every election since the "one vote, one value" reforms of the Goss government, Labor had won at least 30 seats in Brisbane. The LNP also won every seat on the Gold Coast while strengthening its hold on its traditional heartlands in provincial and rural Queensland. Ten members of Bligh's cabinet were defeated. Newman won Ashgrove handily, defeating Labor's Kate Jones on a 13-point swing, almost double the 7-point swing he needed to take the seat off Labor.

ABC News called the election for the LNP at 6:48 pm Queensland time, less than an hour after counting began. Bligh conceded defeat at 8:25 pm, and Newman publicly claimed victory 20 minutes later.

The day after the election, Bligh resigned as premier and Queensland Labor leader. She also announced she was resigning from parliament on 30 March and retiring from politics, triggering a by-election in her seat of South Brisbane. An hour later, Newman, who at the time did not know that Bligh had resigned, announced that he would be sworn in as premier on 26 March, heading an interim three-man cabinet composed of himself, Seeney and Tim Nicholls. Although Newman's victory was beyond doubt, counting was still under way in some seats. Bligh handed in her resignation later on the afternoon of 25 March, but remained as caretaker until Newman was sworn in the next day.

Labor was reduced to its smallest presence in the legislature on record, outdoing its previous low in 1974, when it was cut down to a "cricket team" of only 11 members at the height of Joh Bjelke-Petersen's power. Indeed, Michael Madigan of The Courier-Mail wrote that Labor had been reduced to a "water polo squad."

Although Labor came up two seats short of official party status in the legislature, Newman promised that Labor would be "properly resourced as an opposition".

Seats changing hands

Seat	2012 Election	Party	Member	Margin	Margin	Member	Party
Albert	Labor	Margaret Keech	6.47	–18.36	11.89	Mark Boothman	Liberal National
Algester	Labor	Karen Struthers	9.21	–18.36	9.15	Anthony Shorten	Liberal National
Ashgrove	Labor	Kate Jones	7.10	–12.79	5.70	Campbell Newman	Liberal National
Barron River	Labor	Steve Wettenhall	2.32	–11.81	9.48	Michael Trout	Liberal National
Brisbane Central	Labor	Grace Grace	5.97	–10.85	4.88	Robert Cavallucci	Liberal National
Broadwater	Labor	Peta-Kaye Croft	2.03	–13.32	11.29	Verity Barton	Liberal National
Bulimba	Labor	Di Farmer	7.77	–7.91	0.14	Aaron Dillaway	Liberal National
Burleigh	Labor	Christine Smith	4.90	–15.95	11.05	Michael Hart	Liberal National
Cairns	Labor	Desley Boyle	4.15	–13.03	8.87	Gavin King	Liberal National
Capalaba	Labor	Michael Choi	9.67	–13.40	3.73	Steve Davies	Liberal National
Chatsworth	Labor	Steve Kilburn	0.14	–14.08	13.94	Steve Minnikin	Liberal National
Cook	Labor	Jason O'Brien	2.24	–5.68	3.43	David Kempton	Liberal National
Dalrymple	Liberal National	Shane Knuth1	5.18	–20.40	15.22	Shane Knuth	Katter's Australian
Everton	Labor	Murray Watt	1.39	–14.54	13.15	Tim Mander	Liberal National
Ferny Grove	Labor	Geoff Wilson	4.49	–14.02	9.52	Dale Shuttleworth	Liberal National
Greenslopes	Labor	Cameron Dick	6.94	–9.40	2.45	Ian Kaye	Liberal National
Ipswich	Labor	Rachel Nolan	16.71	–20.90	4.19	Ian Berry	Liberal National
Ipswich West	Labor	Wayne Wendt	9.55	–16.71	7.16	Sean Choat	Liberal National
Kallangur	Labor	Mary-Anne O'Neill	4.63	–17.06	12.43	Trevor Ruthenberg	Liberal National
Keppel	Labor	Paul Hoolihan	7.62	–14.02	6.39	Bruce Young	Liberal National
Logan	Labor	John Mickel	13.93	–18.73	4.80	Michael Pucci	Liberal National
Lytton	Labor	Paul Lucas	12.21	–13.79	1.58	Neil Symes	Liberal National
Mansfield	Labor	Phil Reeves	4.39	–15.53	11.14	Ian Walker	Liberal National
Maryborough	Independent	Chris Foley	16.83	–17.14	0.31	Anne Maddern	Liberal National
Morayfield	Labor	Mark Ryan	9.13	–14.71	5.57	Darren Grimwade	Liberal National
Mount Coot-tha	Labor	Andrew Fraser	5.25	–10.60	5.36	Saxon Rice	Liberal National
Mount Isa	Labor	Betty Kiernan	5.72	15.76	10.04	Robbie Katter	Katter's Australian
Mount Ommaney	Labor	Julie Attwood	4.79	–21.27	16.48	Tarnya Smith	Liberal National
Mundingburra	Labor	Lindy Nelson-Carr	6.59	–16.78	10.19	David Crisafulli	Liberal National
Murrumba	Labor	Dean Wells	7.21	–16.74	9.52	Reg Gulley	Liberal National
Nanango	Independent	Dorothy Pratt	2.90	-11.88	8.98	Deb Frecklington	Liberal National
Nudgee	Labor	Neil Roberts	4.26	–17.37	3.11	Jason Woodforth	Liberal National
Pine Rivers	Labor	Carolyn Male	4.61	–18.27	13.66	Seath Holswich	Liberal National
Pumicestone	Labor	Carryn Sullivan	4.99	–17.06	12.07	Lisa France	Liberal National
Redcliffe	Labor	Lillian van Litsenburg	5.57	–15.67	10.10	Scott Driscoll	Liberal National
Sandgate	Labor	Vicky Darling	12.37	–15.24	2.87	Kerry Millard	Liberal National
Southport	Labor	Peter Lawlor	3.48	–18.20	14.72	Rob Molhoek	Liberal National
Springwood	Labor	Barbara Stone	4.08	–19.48	15.39	John Grant	Liberal National
Stafford	Labor	Stirling Hinchliffe	7.29	–14.35	7.06	Chris Davis	Liberal National
Stretton	Labor	Stephen Robertson	9.48	−19.04	9.55	Freya Ostapovitch	Liberal National
Sunnybank	Labor	Judy Spence	10.79	−21.02	10.23	Mark Stewart	Liberal National
Thuringowa	Labor	Craig Wallace	8.47	−9.85	1.38	Sam Cox	Liberal National
Toowoomba North	Labor	Kerry Shine	3.22	–12.80	9.58	Trevor Watts	Liberal National
Townsville	Labor	Mandy Johnstone	4.02	−8.84	4.83	John Hathaway	Liberal National
Waterford	Labor	Evan Moorhead	16.46	−17.50	1.04	Mike Latter	Liberal National
Whitsunday	Labor	Jan Jarratt	3.24	−13.91	10.67	Jason Costigan	Liberal National
Yeerongpilly	Labor	Simon Finn	8.73	−10.17	1.44	Carl Judge	Liberal National

Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election.
1 Shane Knuth was elected as a member of the Liberal National Party, but resigned and joined Katter's Australian Party in 2011.
The Liberal National Party also retained the seats of Beaudesert, where the sitting Liberal National member had resigned and contested the election as a member of Katter's Australian Party. The Liberal National Party also retained the seat of Burnett, where the sitting Liberal National member had resigned and contested the election as an Independent.

Post-election pendulum

Subsequent changes

On 30 March 2012, former Premier Anna Bligh (South Brisbane) resigned. At the by-election on 28 April 2012, Jackie Trad retained the electorate for the Labor Party.
On 28 November 2012, Ray Hopper (Condamine) resigned from the Liberal National Party and joined Katter's Australian Party.
On 30 November 2012, Carl Judge (Yeerongpilly) resigned from the Liberal National Party and sat as an Independent. He then joined the Palmer United Party on 7 June 2013, but resigned on 8 October 2014 and again sat as an Independent.
On 1 December 2012, Alex Douglas (Gaven) resigned from the Liberal National Party and sat as an Independent. He then joined the Palmer United Party on 7 Jun 2013, but resigned on 18 August 2014 and again sat as an Independent.
On 19 April 2013, Scott Driscoll (Redcliffe) resigned from the Liberal National Party and sat as an Independent. On 19 November 2013 he resigned. At the by-election on 22 February 2014, Yvette D'Ath gained the seat for the Labor Party.
On 23 May 2014, Chris Davis (Stafford) resigned. At the by-election on 19 July 2014, Anthony Lynham gained the seat for the Labor Party.

Retiring MPs

The following Members of Parliament stood down at the election:

Labor

Julie Attwood (Mount Ommaney) – announced 16 January 2012
Desley Boyle (Cairns) – announced 17 February 2011
Paul Lucas (Lytton) – announced 15 September 2011
Carolyn Male (Pine Rivers) – announced 3 February 2012
John Mickel (Logan) – announced 10 August 2011
Lindy Nelson-Carr (Mundingburra) – announced 28 March 2011
Neil Roberts (Nudgee) – announced 12 December 2011
Stephen Robertson (Stretton) – announced 27 March 2011
Robert Schwarten (Rockhampton) – announced 17 February 2011
Judy Spence (Sunnybank) – announced 15 December 2010

LNP

Mike Horan (Toowoomba South) – announced 26 March 2011

Independent

Dorothy Pratt (Nanango) – announced 15 April 2011

Polling

Newspoll and Galaxy polling was conducted via random telephone number selection in city and country areas. Sampling sizes usually consist of around 800-1000 electors, with the declared margin of error at around ±3 percent.

Graphical summary

Primary vote	TPP vote	ALP	LNP	GRN	OTH
26.7%	49.7%	7.5%	16.1%	37.2%	62.8%
28%	50%	6%	16%	39.2%	60.8%
30%	47%	9%	14%	42%	58%
31%	44%	10%	15%	44%	56%
27%	50%	8%	15%	39%	61%
31%	51%	7%	11%	40%	60%
38%	37%	10%	15%	52%	48%
26%	45%	13%	16%	41%	59%
29%	44%	14%	13%	43%	57%
42.3%	41.6%	8.4%	7.8%	50.9%	49.1%
42%	42%	7%	9%	49.9%	50.1%
[Polling](https://web.archive.org/web/20120331161328/http://newspoll.com.au/cgi-bin/polling/display_poll_data.pl?url_caller=&mode=trend&page=show_polls&question_set_id=13) conducted by Newspoll and published in The Australian.

Better Premier and leadership approval graphical summary

Bligh	Newman	ALP	LNP	20–22 March 2012	3–15 February 2012	Oct–Dec 2011	Jul–Sep 2011	Apr–May 2011	Jan–Mar 2011	Oct–Dec 2010	Jul–Sep 2010	[2009 election](2009-queensland-state-election)	18–19 March 2009
36%	51%
40%	44%
39%	43%
34%	48%
35%	49%
53%	26%2
31%	41%2
34%	42%2
–	–
53%	33%1
[Polling](https://web.archive.org/web/20120331161328/http://newspoll.com.au/cgi-bin/polling/display_poll_data.pl?url_caller=&mode=trend&page=show_polls&question_set_id=13) conducted by Newspoll
and published in The Australian.
^ Remainder were "uncommitted" to either leader.
1 Lawrence Springborg.
2 John-Paul Langbroek.

Bligh	Newman	ALP	LNP
36%	58%	47%	40%
41%	50%	45%	37%
39%	50%	45%	33%
38%	52%	51%	27%
40%	50%	50%	22%
49%	43%	33%2	40%2
24%	67%	38%2	38%2
26%	65%	32%2	42%2
–	–	–	–
46%	44%	39%1	49%1
[Polling](https://web.archive.org/web/20120331161328/http://newspoll.com.au/cgi-bin/polling/display_poll_data.pl?url_caller=&mode=trend&page=show_polls&question_set_id=13) conducted by Newspoll and published in The Australian.
^Remainder were "uncommitted" to either leader.
1 Lawrence Springborg.
2 John-Paul Langbroek.

Newspaper endorsements

Newspaper	Endorsement
The Australian
The Courier-Mail

References

[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02–19/bligh-officially-sets-queensland-election-date/3838360 Bligh officially sets Queensland election date]. ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
Wordsworth, Matt. (25 January 2012). "Bligh's poll timing sparks outcry". ABC News.
Wordsworth, Matt. (25 January 2012). "Qld to have March 24 poll". ABC News.
(19 February 2012). "Bligh officially sets Queensland election date". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
[[Antony Green. Green, Antony]]. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/qld/2012/guide/preview.htm Queensland election preview] {{Webarchive. link. (11 November 2016. [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]], 25 January 2012.)
Robinson, Paul (23 March 2011). [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/23/3171222.htm LNP leadership wrangle a 'Campbell shambles'] {{Webarchive. link. (11 May 2011. ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.)
(24 February 2012). "LNP loses a second Broadwater candidate". Brisbane Times.
(21 February 2012). "ALP candidate for Southern Downs Peter Watson expelled over online posts regarding homophobia and neo-nazis". The Courier-Mail.
(2 March 2012). "Katter wants millions of ballots shredded". Brisbane Times.
(5 March 2012). "Bob Katter's Australian Party goes to court to settle ballot branding issue". The Courier-Mail.
(7 March 2012). "Katter ballots case sent to higher court". Brisbane Times.
(8 March 2012). "Bob Katter loses bid to have his name on ballot papers for state election". The Courier-Mail.
"Election Timetable: 2012 State General election". Electoral Commission of Queensland.
(26 March 2012). "Newman team moves into George Street". [[Brisbane Times]].
(30 March 2012). "Premier announces new Ministry". Department of Premier and Cabinet.
"Queensland Parliamentary Record The 54th Parliament 15 May 2012 – 6 January 2015".
(16 January 2012). "Julie Attwood to bow out". Courier Mail.
(15 September 2011). "QLD MPs to step down at election". Brisbane Times.
(3 February 2012). "Pine Rivers MP Carolyn Male quits politics". Courier Mail.
Helbig, Koren. (12 December 2011). "Queensland Police Minister Neil Roberts is eighth Labor MP to quit before state election". Courier Mail.
(2011-04-16). "As the major parties goe to war, Dolly calls it a day". Brisbanetimes.com.au.
"Galaxy Poll Results".
[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-24/live-blog3a-queensland-votes/3910364 As it happened: LNP pulls off crushing win]{{Webarchive. link. (24 March 2012 . [[ABC News (Australia)). ABC News]], 24 March 2012.
(25 March 2012). "Bligh resigns after election wipe-out". ABC News.
(25 March 2012). "Anna Bligh quits: 'Labor cannot rebuild with me in its ranks'". [[The Courier Mail]].
Madigan, Michael. (2012-03-17). "Queensland Labor barely alive after future leadership decapitated in state election". [[The Courier-Mail]].
(29 March 2012). "Fixed four-year terms on the horizon in the Sunshine State". The Australian.
(13 January 2012). "Ninth Labor MP to quit as poll rumours swirl". Brisbane Times.
(15 September 2011). "QLD MPs to step down at election". Brisbane Times.
(3 February 2012). "Pine Rivers MP Carolyn Male quits politics". The Courier Mail.
Helbig, Koren. (12 December 2011). "Queensland Police Minister Neil Roberts is eighth Labor MP to quit before state election". The Courier Mail.
Moore, Tony. (16 April 2011). "As the major parties go to war, 'Dolly' calls it a day". Brisbane Times.
(24 March 2012). "Labor's day of reckoning arrives in Queensland". The Australian.

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