Queensland continues to assert its political influence in the national arena, particularly in the wake of recent elections that saw significant leadership changes within the Coalition and the emergence of new faces in the Greens. The Liberal Party has rallied around Sussan Ley to become its first female leader. She is ably supported by fellow Queensland MP, Ted O’Brien and the state now basks in unprecedented representation in the lower house of federal Parliament.
The recent election results showed that this shift in power dynamics had produced a large enough impact. In Queensland, all of the parliamentary seats that changed hands went to the Labor Party. This result underscores the deep importance of the region’s influence in the national political context. Queensland continues to rule the Coalition, despite the loss of major architects like Peter Dutton. He had a scary 7.7 percent swing to Labor in his Dickson seat.
Leadership Changes in the Coalition
Sussan Ley has already made history by becoming the first woman to lead the Liberal Party. Her ascension as leader has been seen as a monumental victory for the party. Ted O’Brien, who served as her deputy and chief operating officer, sounded a hopeful note on their future course. He said the Liberals were “prepared to have a rebuild” with Ley’s election as leader.
David Littleproud will continue as Nationals leader, though he had to survive a challenge from Senator Matt Canavan. Indeed, his seat of Maranoa was one of the first called on election night. It signals that he continues to enjoy a powerful incumbency advantage and strong support in his district.
Political historian Frank Bongiorno noted how significant Queensland’s representation would be in any legislative coup. Despite losses for the Coalition, representation like this is extremely important. He remarked, “Anything you do really needs a lot of Queensland consent and agreement within the Coalition because there are just so many of them.”
Rising Stars in Labor and Greens
The Labor Party has celebrated their success in returning a new wave of MPs from Queensland, the so-called “magnificent seven.” This crop of newly-elected feds is an exciting bunch! They are Corinne Mulholland, Emma Comer, Madonna Jarrett, Kara Cook, Ali France, Renee Coffee and Julie-Ann Campbell. This group’s arrival is a good sign for Labor’s efforts to build a deeper bench in Queensland.
Labor leaders such as Jim Chalmers, Anika Wells, Murray Watt, Nita Green, and Anthony Chisholm now hold key ministerial positions within Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government. Their combined expertise and connections to the South, Midwest, and North Atlantic could be key to bringing local issues to a national stage.
In a major shift for environmental politics, Larissa Waters made history by being elected the first Greens leader from Queensland. She expressed pride in her new role and emphasized her party’s commitment to action: “We will get shit done,” she stated. Her leadership would have the potential to completely change the way the Greens approached strategic legislative challenges with the major parties.
The Landscape Ahead
Queensland has 16 of 43 members (almost 38 percent) in the lower house. This powerful opposition list is an unmistakable reminder that the state holds immense legislative authority. As political analysts observe these trends, Robert McMahon noted the complexities ahead for Waters: “It will be interesting to see how the new Greens leader navigates that and how she is able to insert the Greens in the legislative process.”
Bongiorno further illustrated how critical geographic separation was for representation. He added that in difficult economic conditions governments tend to gravitate toward candidates with experience. This ever-present dynamic of Queensland politics means that Queensland will always be a crucial battleground in national politics, no matter which party holds power.
