The Top Concerns in Queensland’s Most Marginal Seat: Abortion, Crime, and Socialism

With the Queensland election coming up on Oct. 26, the battle for Bundaberg—the state’s most marginal seat with just nine votes deciding the outcome—is crucial in determining the next government.

While the incumbent Labor Party dominates metropolitan Brisbane and the LNP maintains a strong presence in regional seats, both parties lack the numbers to secure power solely from their respective strongholds and need to win key electorates like Bundaberg, Mackay, or Cairns.

Abortion, crime, hospitals, and land rights are key issues being discussed during the campaign.

The State of Play

Stephen Bennett, the incumbent MP for the neighbouring electorate of Burnett, is supporting the LNP candidate Bree Watson at early polling booths.

“It’s going to be incredibly close I think,” he told The Epoch Times. “It’s got to be half-and-half, Bundy’s on a knife’s edge for sure.”

At the last state election, Labor’s candidate narrowly secured victory with just nine votes—with 15,141 votes going to Labor after preferences, and 15,132 going to the LNP.

Early voting is already underway for the weekend vote, with both postal and informal votes expected to play a significant role in determining the final outcome.

By the latest count, 49.04 percent of votes have been cast, with a total of 18,465 people participating.

Volunteers Jeff Brennan and David Zahn noted that most voters have already decided which party to support.

“I think 80 percent have made up their mind,” Brennan shared with The Epoch Times.

One Nation volunteer Zahn agreed that voters seem more engaged in the political process and have clearer views on their preferences. Brennan added that younger individuals are concerned about the cost of living, climate, university fees, and housing.

Labor’s Tom Smith Says Abortion the Main Issue

Labor incumbent and former school teacher, Tom Smith, emphasized that the primary issue in the state is abortion laws.

“There’s absolutely no doubt that the biggest issue this election is about a woman’s right to choose,” he highlighted.

Smith expressed concerns about conservative parties potentially seeking to re-criminalize abortion, a procedure that was officially decriminalized by Labor in 2018.

“People are asking the candidates to state their position,” he added. “I’m very happy to state my position even if it loses me votes. It’s important in a democracy that everyone’s questions are respected.”

The LNP’s Bennett, however, criticized the sudden focus on the abortion issue in the last three weeks of the campaign, calling it a diversion from more urgent matters.

LNP Advocates for Solutions to Youth Crime

LNP contender Bree Watson focused her campaign on addressing the rising crime rate in Bundaberg.

Watson mentioned cases where residents felt unsafe in their homes or have been victims of robbery inside their homes.

She also highlighted a growing trend of stolen tools from tradespeople out of utility vehicles.

Watson pointed out that the LNP’s clear timeline to achieve key election promises sets them apart from Labor.

“We’ve been really clear on our 100-day approach to the Making Queensland Safer laws,” she said.

Watson discussed implementing laws to enhance safety and reinstating the state’s Productivity Commission, which was abolished in 2021 just weeks before the Brisbane Olympic bid was announced.

The LNP candidate stressed the importance of enacting laws that empower police and magistrates to make informed decisions.

She also proposed an “early reset” program for at-risk youths, offering intensive work for one to three weeks to enhance their skills and provide career opportunities.

“Many of them lack support in life, and it’s about getting them excited about a career, whether in trade or any other field,” Watson explained.

One Nation Concerned About Land Transfers to Aboriginal Groups

During the 2020 election, the right-leaning One Nation party saw its primary vote decrease by 16.60 percent.

Alberto Carvalho, running for the party, expressed concern after seeing state land being transferred to Indigenous corporations.

The dental and oral health professional and father of three, who has lived in seven countries and speaks four languages, was initially uninterested in politics until he noticed state land being handed over to the Aboriginal population.

“It is a shocker,” he said, noting extensive land and ocean areas in and surrounding Queensland listed under Native Title while looking up state maps for fossicking.

“The Aboriginals never had claims to the sea that we know,” he pointed out.

Carvalho’s investigation revealed that Native Title claims began gaining traction around 2010-11, accelerating in 2015.

“It’s being done at a legal level without our knowledge,” he remarked. “When we are being dispossessed as a country, we need to know.”

In his view, the same socialist forces that led to the downfall of other nations are now influencing Australia’s political left wing.

Carvalho criticized the extreme political correctness in Australia, sharing experiences of encountering it during his time in education and around indigenous-focused policies.

Carvalho believes new developments should prioritize inland Queensland and aims to address issues such as youth crime, the male suicide rate, and homelessness.

Greens Gaining Ground, Volunteer Says

Lindon Oldfield, a volunteer for the Greens, supports Bundaberg candidate Nat Baker and notes a growing support for the party.

“The Greens’ profile has significantly increased compared to three years ago,” he observed. “During the previous election campaign, I had about one person a day expressing interest in voting for the Greens, whereas this time I am seeing positive responses from about 20 people a day.”

Oldfield highlighted voter interest in the Greens’ stance on housing, cost of living, and opposition to coal mining, attributing the rise in support to migrations from southern states and younger voters.

“With younger people, we have a high engagement rate,” he added.

The Greens’ state policies include taxing corporations for funding essential services like housing, schools, hospitals, and free childcare. They also advocate for rent freezes, publicly-owned renewables, and capping rent prices.