Counting to continue tomorrow with 10 seats still in doubt

This is where we leave our live coverage today. 

There are still 10 seats in doubt with voting to continue this week. 

The Electoral Commission of Queensland says the official count can take up to 10 days following the deadline for the return of postal votes.

To keep up with latest developments visit the ABC's election results page below.

Incoming LNP member says Labor 'hasn't been listening' to regional Queensland

Reporting by Hannah Walsh

In the outback electorate of Gregory, the LNP's Sean Dillon says "Labor has not been a party for regional Queensland".

LNP will retain the seat, with Mr Dillon succeeding Lachlan Millar.

The state's largest seat has been held by the Country,  National and Liberal National Party since 1957 but for the past 30 years has been working against the government in office.

"Clearly in regional Queensland those of us who have been moving around our various electorates have heard loud and clear that this Labor government hasn't been listening," he said.

Mr Dillon said bombshell abortion views raised by Katter's Australian Party in the weeks ahead of the election were a "deliberate scare tactic". 

"That's not an issue I got into politics to represent," he said.

"It's been emphatically ruled out as part of our plan and there will be no change to the legislation."

High school teacher optimistic despite being behind in count

Reporting by Christopher Testa

The southern Cairns seat of Mulgrave is still too close to call and Katter's Australian Party candidate Steven Lesina isn't prepared to rule out an unlikely charge from third place.

The high school teacher is behind the LNP's Terry James and Labor's Richie Bates on primary votes.

But with 10 candidates on the ballot, he's hopeful he can still overtake one of the major parties and then defeat the other on preferences.

"If I can jump above one of them, that'd put me at a huge advantage to possibly take the seat," Mr Lesina said today.

The LNP has 26 per cent of the primary vote but is on track to defeat Labor on preferences, should the KAP fall short of reaching the final pairing.

Mr Lesina was 1,156 votes behind Labor on primaries, with almost 55 per cent of the vote counted as at 4.30pm Sunday.

He said regardless of the outcome, he considered his campaign a success.

"The goal was no lower than third and we've achieved that," he said.

Voters in Cairns weigh in on what action they want to see

Reporters Brendan Mounter and Christopher Testa spoke to people in Cairns today. Here's what they to say. 

Ned Veeramah from Mareeba, west of Cairns, says now it's a case of "wait and see" as to whether if David Crisafulli and the LNP can deliver on their election commitments.

"He's young, he's got the strength and energy, he's got a good team, but we'll see," Mr Veeramah says.

He cast his vote based on local issues with the hope of more investment for the Mareeba Hospital and the Barron River Bridge.

Lynette O'Connor from Brisbane believes the biggest challenges facing the incoming Crisafulli government is addressing the state's housing crisis and cost of living pressures.

"The financial [pressures] on low-income families is a massive issue, and it makes me sad to think we live in a world where children are living in a car," she says.

Ms O'Connor also wants more done to tackle youth crime.

"It's gotten out of control and I think we need to change the laws on what's happening on the other end … there's no consequences."

Alan Campbell of Cairns voted for the LNP and is hopeful the LNP's policies on youth crime and law enforcement will bring positive change.

"Everyone has to pay a price (for their actions) … so these young kids need to be shown a way to redefine their life," he says.

He hopes the new government will invest more into local health services and road infrastructure.

Crime and electricity prices were the two main election issues for Peter Cochran of Gordonvale who ultimately voted for an independent in his electorate of Mulgrave.

He says Labor had a decade to deliver on their promises but fell short.

"Everybody's been screaming about crime but nothing's really happened and in the last week of the election they said we're gonna have a new power station," he said.

"They've been in power for how long?! Ten years!"

Mr Cochran hopes the new LNP government will address the state's level of debt.

Regional seats deliver LNP election win with crime resonating with voters

 By David Chen and Nicholas McElroy

Ultimately, law and order ruled and regional Queenslanders have delivered the LNP into government with a tough-on-crime mandate.

Needing 12 seats to take a majority, the LNP won 11 electorates in regional centres with some double-digit swings, while another handful are still too close to call as voting continues.

It was a hard-fought battle for regional Queensland votes – the two major party leaders made at least two dozen trips to the regions, targeting the cities of Townsville, Cairns, Rockhampton and Mackay.

Follow the link below to read more:

LNP's Adam Bailie says crime the 'number one issue' for Townsville voters

Reporting by Baz Ruddick

Incoming member for Townsville Adam Bailie says he's looking forward to serving the community. 

"We had suspected Townsville wanted change, that was what we heard. We listened, we developed a scope of work, we quoted up the job and last night we were awarded the contract," Mr Bailie says.  

"I am looking forward to getting back onto the job and to deliver on our commitments, and delivering a fresh start for Queensland."

He says the fact that all three Townsville seats were taken by the LNP is an "endorsement from the community".

"All these things we have been talking about — adult crime for adult time, making our community safer — we can deliver on our commitments," he said.

"Our position and our suite of policies we put forward is something they [the community] want to see happen and that is what we will be focussing on delivering.

"We have knocked on thousands of doors, called hundreds of phones, had I don't know how many conversations with locals and crime was the number one issues that would come through to us."

'It was time for another party': Townsville voters back change

Reporting by Chloe Chomicki

The majority of North Queenslanders across the three Townsville-based electorates voted for change.

The ALP held seats of Townsville, Thuringowa and Mundingburra have likely fallen to the LNP.

Oral Power, a Mundingburra constituent, says it's time for the LNP to "have a go" at solving local issues.

"Youth crime and housing, I know a lot of people voted on those issues," Mr Power says.

"Time will tell whether the new members can make a difference."

Mundingburra resident Lavina Donahue echoed the mood for change.

"We need more progress on laws, projects, upgrades," she says.

"Labor is a bit too slow."

Victim of crime and business owner Damien Eggins says law and order nabbed his vote in the end.

"The devastating effect youth crime has left on the community is ridiculous," he says.

"It was time for another party to see what difference they can make."

Let's take another look at the seats that are in doubt

With almost 68 per cent of the vote counted 10 seats remain in doubt. 

Here's how things currently stand based on the preference count. 

  • LNP's Amanda Cooper is ahead of Labor's Bart Mellish in Aspley
  • LNP's Russell Field is likely to take the seat of  Capalaba over Labor's Don Brown
  • Labor's Meaghan Scanlon is ahead of the LNP's Bianca Stone in Gaven
  • Labor's Melissa McMahon is likely to retain Macalister
  • KAP's Stephen Andrew is ahead of the LNP's Glenn Kelly in Mirani
  • LNP's Terry Jones is ahead of Labor's Richie Bates in Mulgrave
  • LNP's Dean Clements is ahead of Labor's Nikki Boyd in Pine Rivers
  • LNP's Ariana Doolan is likely to take Pumicestone over Labor's Ali King
  • Labor's Barbara O'Shea is likely in South Brisbane with a lead over the Greens' Amy MacMahon
  • Labor's Mick de Brenni is likely to retain his seat in Springbrook
LNP's Donna Kirkland accepts win in Labor heartland of Rockhampton

Reporting by Vanessa Jarrett

LNP candidate for Rockhampton Donna Kirkland has accepted a win in what would be a first for the Beef Capital.

The region has historically been Labor heartland with the party holding the seat since 1932.

"It was a bit of a rollercoaster ride and I'm sure that there are other candidates right across the state experiencing that," she says.

When asked what's first on her agenda, she says the LNP would be changing the Youth Justice Act in the first 100 days.

"We'll be enforcing our making Queensland safer laws by Christmas, which means that there will be adult time for adult crime," she says.

Queensland's only independent projected to increase her vote

Reporting by Owen Jacques

Sandy Bolton is projected to not only hold her Noosa seat, but is likely to increase her vote compared to the 2020 election.

She says she faced an intense campaign from LNP challenger and former Noosa mayor Clare Stewart.

Ms Bolton says she will ensure that money promised during the campaign will still be spent on the community.

"I want to be able to collect those lovely commitments that they've made in this election, so I'll be lining up for the $30 million for Beckman's Road, and $1 million for the Pomona pedestrian crossing," she says.

Ms Bolton says despite efforts from the LNP, its campaign failed to convince Noosa voters that they needed a change.

"The reason [the LNP gave] for why I needed to be ousted was for the betterment of broader Queensland to have the LNP in power," she says.

"My response to that was, 'The seat of Noosa didn't have to be sacrificed for that'."

Ms Bolton  says some of the campaigning, including the use of "scratch-it" cards, where the voter would scratch her name to reveal Labor or another party underneath was "very disrespectful" to the community.

Ms Bolton says she's not prepared to claim victory until it is declared by the electoral commission, likely on Monday.

Ms Stewart, however, conceded defeat on Sunday afternoon, wishing Ms Bolton "all the very best for the next four years".