Former federal Assistant Attorney-General, Amanda Stoker, has announced she’ll be running for the seat of Oodgeroo in the upcoming Queensland state election.
Stoker made the announcement on her Sky News television program on Sunday night.
“It really is such a special thing with which to be entrusted and I’m enormously grateful to be trusted.” Stoker said adding that she was filled with energy to represent the people of the area she calls home.
Rising youth crime, the cost of living, hospital services and the housing crisis were items Stoker listed on her agenda for the next election saying the current Labor government had become tired out of touch and arrogant.
“They’ve just stopped listening, more interested in woke ideology that solving problems and making life better.” Stoker said of the Pałaszczuk government who have been in power since 2015.
Announcing that she’d be stepping down from her weekly Sky News program, Stoker made her pitch for voters to put their tick on the ballot box for the Liberal-National Party. Stoker said while she’d no longer be hosting her own show – she’d remain a regular commentator on other Sky News programs including Chris Kenny Tonight, Credlin and Paul Murray Live.
The electoral district of Oodgeroo was established in 2017 and has been held by the Liberal National Party and represented by Mark Robinson. Robinson announced his intention to step down in June. The seat is considered a marginal electorate.
Liberal-National party state leader David Crisafulli said Stoker had a wealth of experience to bring to the role.
“As a former senator, Amanda has a proven track record of serving Queenslanders,” Crisafulli said. “She has worked tirelessly over many years for our state.”
Senator Stoker was selected to replace George Brandis when he retired from the senate in 2018. In 2020 she was appointed by then Prime Minister Scott Morrison to hold the position of Assistant Attorney-General. In 2021 she was given the additional roles of Assistant Minister for Women, and Assistant Minister for Industrial Relations.
At the 2022 federal election Stoker was given the third spot on the Liberal party ticket and failed to be re-elected.
The National Party held a strong grip on Queensland through the 1970’s. Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen was Premier for over 19 years, but his leadership came crashing down in 1986 when the high level of corruption with the Queensland police and political circles was exposed. In late 1987 he offered his resignation.
Labor took power at the next state election in 1989 and were returned in 1992 and 1995 under the leadership of Wayne Goss. The National party were returned to government under Rob Borbidge in 1996 after the Goss government were unable to maintain a majority. There’ return to power was short lived, just over two years later voters reinstated the Labor party under new leader Peter Beattie.
Beattie won four terms being re-elected in 2001, 2004 and 2006, when Beattie retired Anna Bligh took over as Premier winning another election in 2009. In 2012 the National party made an impressive return under the leadership of Campbell Newman. At the time of the election Newman, who had been Brisbane’s Lord Mayor, did not even hold a seat in parliament.
The Newman government was short-lived, surviving only a single term. In 2015 Anastacia Pałaszczuk led the Labor party back into government, and she’s been re-elected in 2015, 2017 and 2020. Pałaszczuk remains the only Covid-era state leader to remain in office.
Queensland’s state election will be held on 26th October 2024. Recent polls have shown that the Liberal National party have a significant lead over the incumbent government. A recent poll conducted by RedBridge gave a 15-point lead to the opposition.
OIP Staff
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