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Toowoomba North a bellwether for Qld Labor

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk visited the electorate of Toowoomba North on Wednesday, with seat considered a bellwether for a majority government.

AAP Image/Dan Peled
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk chats to supporters in Toowoomba. (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has finished her regional campaign blitz in the key seat of Toowoomba North, considered a bellwether for Labor to win majority government.

The seat is contested by party stalwart Kerry Shine, who held it for 11 years until 2012 when he was ousted in the Newman LNP landslide.

He was unable to retake it when Labor regained office in Ms Palaszczuk's 2015 boilover.

Mr Shine says historically when Labor wins Toowoomba North, it also forms a majority government, and he's hoping both ring true on November 25.

"That happened in 2001 when my campaign was launched by (the premier's father) Henry Palaszczuk, and I've got a good feeling that history will repeat itself," he told reporters on Wednesday.

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Ms Palaszczuk has repeatedly underlined the importance of a majority government, pledging to take Labor into opposition again rather than forming a minority government with minor parties or independents.

"We're going to fight every day to see if we can do it. But Kerry I know you've got a hard-working team behind you, so let's get out there and do it," the premier said in front of a vocal crowd of supporters.

She has visited the Toowoomba multiple times during the election campaign, and Mr Shine said he was "surprised and delighted" by the show of support.

The premier didn't make any new election promises for the electorate on Wednesday, but pointed to those already announced, including $4 million for the local TAFE and $3 million for the Toowoomba Hospital expansion.

"We're putting a big effort in here, I believe we can win this seat, and I believe Kerry has the qualities," she said.

The LNP's Trevor Watts won the seat off Mr Shine in 2012 and held it in 2015 with a greatly reduced margin of 1.6 per cent.


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