2001 Queensland state election

The 2001 Queensland state election was held on 17 February 2001 to elect the 89 members of the state's Legislative Assembly. The result of the election was the return of the Labor Party (ALP) government of Premier Peter Beattie, with an increased majority in a landslide. Labor won 66 seats, easily the most it has ever won in Queensland and one of Labor's best-ever results nationwide. There was a 10.07% swing towards Labor, while One Nation suffered a 13.98% swing against it, losing eight seats (five of which were held by the newly formed City Country Alliance after an internal split in December 1999).

The longstanding coalition between the Nationals and Liberals, led by Nationals leader (and former premier) Rob Borbidge recorded only a 2.39% swing against it. However, its support in Brisbane all but vanished; indeed, Labor won every seat in Brisbane except Moggill. Largely due to losses in Brisbane, the Coalition suffered an overall 17-seat loss. This included only three seats for the Liberals, easily the worst showing for the urban non-Labor party in Queensland since it adopted the Liberal banner in 1948. The 'Just Vote 1' strategy adopted by the Labor campaign (capitalising on Queensland's optional preferential voting system) was also considered to be effective in reducing preference flows between the Coalition parties, thereby dampening the combined strength of the conservative parties.

Electoral redistribution
A redistribution of electoral boundaries occurred in 1999.

The electorates of Archerfield, Barambah, Caboolture, Chermside, Crows Nest, Kedron, Merrimac, Mooloolah, Nerang, Sunnybank, Warwick, Western Downs, and Yeronga were abolished.

The electorates of Algester, Darling Downs, Gaven, Glass House, Kawana, Mudgeeraba, Nanango, Pumicestone, Robina, Southern Downs, Stafford, Stretton, and Yeerongpilly were created.

The redistribution merged Chermside with Kedron to create Stafford north of Brisbane, and Crows Nest with Western Downs to create Darling Downs in regional Queensland. Gaven was created on the Gold Coast, and Glass House was created on the Sunshine Coast. Archerfield was renamed Algester, Caboolture was renamed Pumicestone, Merrimac was renamed Robina, Mooloolah was renamed Kawana, Nerang was renamed Mudgeeraba, Sunnybank was renamed Stretton, Warwick was renamed Southern Downs, and Yeronga was renamed Yeerongpilly. Albert notionally became Labor-held, Callide notionally became One Nation-held, while Springwood notionally became Liberal-held.

The changes resulted in 43 notionally Labor-held seats, 10 notionally Liberal-held seats, 21 notionally National-held seats, 13 notionally One Nation-held seats, and 2 notionally Independent-held seats.

Results



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Seats changing hands

 * Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election.
 * 1 Jeff Knuth, David Dalgleish, Jack Paff, Bill Feldman, and Harry Black were elected as members of the One Nation Party, but resigned in 1999 and formed the City Country Alliance, and contested the 2001 election for that party.
 * 2 John Kingston, Dorothy Pratt, and Ken Turner were elected as members of the One Nation Party, but resigned in 1999, and contested the 2001 election as Independents.
 * 3 Warren Pitt gained Mulgrave for the Labor Party in the 1998 by-election. The One Nation Party had won the seat at the 1998 election.
 * The Labor Party also retained the seat of Albert which had a notional Labor margin, and the seats of Capalaba and Woodridge, where sitting Labor members had resigned to become Independents.
 * The One Nation Party also retained the seat of Lockyer, where the sitting member contested the 2001 election as a member of the City Country Alliance, and Tablelands, where the sitting member contested the 2001 election as an Independent.

Subsequent changes

 * On 20 March 2001, former National Premier Rob Borbidge (Surfers Paradise) resigned. At the by-election on 5 May 2001, Independent Lex Bell won the seat.
 * On 22 December 2001, Ray Hopper (Darling Downs) joined the National Party.
 * On 18 April 2002, Elisa Roberts (Gympie) resigned from the One Nation Party and sat as an Independent.
 * On 24 March 2003, Independent John Kingston (Maryborough) resigned. At the by-election on 26 April 2003, Independent Chris Foley won the seat.