Independent MP Bob Katter has been forced to rely on preferences from the ALP to win his seat of in Queensland’s northern outback, after a massive swing to the LNP.
Mr Katter has held the seat for a decade, but in what is known as Katter country, the LNP’s Noeline Ikin has made her mark.
Ms Ikin swept the primary votes in the electorate, but was pipped from the position on preferences.
She says she is happy to have reduced Mr Katter’s swing from 18 per cent to a marginal.
“We picked up there was change in the air as we were campaigning,” she said.
“It is showing that people really, really want a seat in Government.”
Mr Katter has told Channel Seven he was expecting a tough campaign.
“We were expecting a big hammering, a really big hammering – campaigning all over Australia and we spent no money virtually at all,” he said.
“The situation was extremely grim and we’ve survived – it’s a very big relief.”
However, Ms Ikin says Kennedy voters were fed up with having an independent.
“They’re not feeling their livelihoods were any better off by having an independent, or now a minor party representing them,” she said.
Ms Ikin says people wanted change.
“Whether we get enough change in that vote – because at the end of the day when the preferences roll out, they certainly benefit the Katter party more than myself,” she said.
Mr Katter has a long history in Kennedy: he has represented the electorate since 1993 and his father held the seat between 1966 and 1990.
During the campaign Mr Katter, a colourful politician known for his trademark Akubra, focused on high interest rates and the cost of living for senior Australians as key issues.
Meanwhile, the LNP has prevailed in several other regional Queensland seats.
Warren Entsch has been returned in the far north Queensland seat of Leichhardt.
In western Queensland, the LNP’s Bruce Scott will serve his ninth term in Parliament after comfortably retaining the seat of Maranoa.
Mr Scott says he is humbled to serve his ninth term in Parliament.
“When you represent some 42 per cent of the land mass of Queensland and you’ve got to make sure you’ve got representation, and you’ve got 140 booths and you’ve got to make sure that people know you and you have a voice for them in the Parliament, it’s always good to have it now behind you,” he said.
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