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2001 Queensland Election

The Queensland State Election, held on February 17, 2001, resulted in a landslide win to the incumbent Labor government led by Premier Peter Beattie. The ALP won 66 seats in the 89-seat Legislative Assembly.

Peter Beattie Sticker - 2001 State Election Campaign

After the provision of a Speaker, the government will have a majority of 42 on the floor of the Parliament.

The election has reduced the National Party to 12 seats and decimated the Liberal Party to a mere 3 seats.

The former National Party leader, Rob Borbidge, resigned from his seat of Surfers Paradise, causing a by-election that the National Party lost to an independent, reducing their numbers to 11.

After the election the National Party formally ended the coalition arrangement with the Liberal Party.

The final seat count in the Queensland Legislative Assembly:

Queensland State Election
February 17, 2001
Party No. Seats
Australian Labor Party
66
National Party
12 11 12
Liberal Party
3
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
3
Independents
5 6 5
Total
89

Note: At a by-election on May 6, 2001, the National Party lost the seat of Surfers Paradise to an independent, following the retirement of the party’s former leader, Rob Borbidge.

The Beattie Labor Government will have a majority in the Legislative Assembly of 42 seats after the provision of a Speaker. This is the largest majority the ALP has ever had in Queensland.

The ALP’s victory is built on a significant increase in its primary vote:

Queensland State Election
February 17, 2001
Party Formal Votes % Primary Vote
Australian Labor Party
1,007,231
48.93%
Liberal Party
294,922
14.33%
National Party
291,330
14.15%
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
178,950
8.69%
The Greens
51,623
2.51%
City Country Alliance
49.258
2.39%
Australian Democrats
7,027
0.34%
Christian Democratic Party
919
0.04%
Other Candidates
177,250
8.61%
Total Formal Votes
2,058,510
Informal Votes
47,840
2.27%
Total Votes
2,106,350
92.54%
Total Enrolment
2,276,044

The Liberal Party went into the election holding 9 seats, but retained only 3. They are:

Queensland State Election February 17, 2001
Liberal Party Seats
Name Member
Caloundra
Joan Sheldon
Moggill
David Watson
Robina
Bob Quinn

The National Party went into the election holding 23 seats. It retained 12 of them.

Note: At a by-election on May 6, 2001, the National Party lost the seat of Surfers Paradise to an independent, following the retirement of the party’s former leader, Rob Borbidge.

In December 2001, Ray Hopper (Darling Downs) joined the National Party, returning its numbers to 12.

Queensland State Election
February 17, 2001
National Party Seats
Name Member
Beaudesert
Kev Lingard
Callide
Jeff Seeney
Cunningham
Stuart Copeland
Gregory
Vaughan Johnson
Hinchinbrook
Marc Rowell
Keppell
Vince Lester
Maroochydore
Fiona Simpson
Mirani
Ted Malone
Southern Downs
Lawrence Springborg
Surfers Paradise
(lost in by-election)
Rob Borbidge
Toowoomba South
Mike Horan
Warrego
Howard Hobbs

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party won 3 seats. The City Country Alliance, formed by 6 former members elected as One Nation representatives in 1998, failed to win a seat:

Queensland State Election
February 17, 2001
One Nation Seats
Name Member
Gympie
Elisa Roberts
Lockyer
Bill Flynn
Tablelands
Rosa Lee Long

There were 5 independent members elected to the new house. Following the by-election on May 6, 2001, the National Party lost the seat of Surfers Paradise to an independent, increasing the total to 6.

Note: Ray Hopper (Darling Downs) rejoined the National Party in December 2001, reducing the number of independents to 5.

Queensland State Election
February 17, 2001
Independent Seats
Name Member
Darling Downs
Ray Hopper
Gladstone
Liz Cunningham
Maryborough
John Kingston
Nanango
Dorothy Pratt
Nicklin
Peter Wellington
Surfers Paradise
Lex Bell

AustralianPolitics.com
Malcolm Farnsworth
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