By JOLENE OGLE
VOTERS have swept away the last remnants of Clive Palmer and the Palmer United Party.
Saturday’s election saw the LNP both maintain and regain its stronghold in the Noosa Shire, with both the seats of Wide Bay and Fairfax going to LNP candidates.
While it is still unclear who will be Prime Minister, both local LNP candidates Llew O’Brien for Wide Bay and Ted O’Brien for Fairfax have won their seats.
Llew O’Brien held on to the traditionally conservative Wide Bay seat previously vacated by former Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss, while Ted O’Brien won the seat formerly occupied by Clive Palmer.
Mr Llew O’Brien said he was happy with the result locally, but would eagerly await the national results so he can get started on LNP pre-election promises such as the $2 million road upgrade for the link between Noosa and Rainbow Beach.
“The key areas I will focus on immediately are the $2 million in funding for the link road. That will be great for the community and tourism in Noosa,” he said.
Mr O’Brien said he would also get busy boosting local employment rates in the Wide Bay Burnett region through the Coalition’s $20 million job package that will help local businesses expand and offer new jobs.
“I want to get employment up,” he said.
“I want to do my very best to reduce unemployment. I will take this on as an advocate. I’m here to represent the people.”
Labor candidate Lucy Stanton has conceded the seat and said after “forcing us to a double dissolution in the promise of stability, (Prime Minister Malcolm) Turnbull has delivered chaos.”
“I would love to thank my campaign team who worked tirelessly on a shoestring budget,” she said.
“A 5.6 per cent swing is a wonderful achievement and proves there is appetite in our community for Labor representation in Wide Bay.
“Thankyou to everyone who voted Labor and to the many people who took the time to share their stories, hopes and dreams for a better Wide Bay and a fairer Australia with me.”
Greens candidate for Wide Bay Bron Marsh said running for the Greens had been an honour and an education, but slammed the campaign process as “extremely wasteful” and unfair to minor parties.
“A more even playing field would advantage the Australian people, forcing candidates to work harder, allowing the voter to make real choices based on information and policies, not the advertisements and glossy full-colour propaganda they are currently flooded with, which fools them into believing the know the major party candidates better than the minor ones,” she said.
Postal votes are still being counted by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) and a final result may not be known for another week, or even a month, but experts say it is unlikely voters will be called back to the polls.
