Macfarlane cruises to victory
A VERY humble Ian Macfarlane was celebrating a triumphant re-election to the seat of Groom last night less than two hours after the polls had closed.
The veteran MP reasserted the LNP’s stranglehold over Groom as voters across the region joined the Queensland-wide backlash against Labor.
Sitting member since 1998, the 55-year-old holds 68.8% of the two-party preferred vote to Labor candidate Chris Meibusch’s 23.2%, a 10.6 per cent swing away from Labor.
With 79.6% of the vote counted, Mr Macfarlane held 60.6% of the primary vote compared with Mr Meibusch’s 23.2%.
"It’s obviously very satisfying and a little humbling to get such a big swing," Mr Macfarlane said.
The Greens’ Frida Forsberg secured 7.2% of the vote (a 2.5% swing), Family First’s Rose Kirkwood 5.7% and Independent Rod Jeanneret 3.2%.
