The first Newspoll survey for the Queensland election campaign confirms the impression of other recent polls and all available anecdotal evidence: that Labor has surged ahead after the first week. Labor is up to 45 per cent on the primary vote from 41 per cent in the previous April-June survey, while the Coalition is down [...]

An early consensus has emerged that Queensland Liberal leader Bruce Flegg has blown the Coalition’s historic opportunity to defeat the Beattie government with an ill-advised declaration (since recanted) that Nationals leader Lawrence Springborg will become Premier if the Coalition takes power, regardless of how many seats the two parties win. Flegg was presumably over-mindful of [...]

As I type, Peter Beattie is speaking at a press conference announcing a Queensland state election for September 9. Following a very late night last night, I have knocked into shape a partially completed election guide that might be wanting for a bit of proof-reading. At this stage it is limited to outlines of the [...]