Labor set for anxious night as polls close for Queensland by-elections

The Labor Party in Queensland is in for an anxious wait over the results of the Ipswich West by-election indicating there will be a massive swing to the LNP. The seat south-west of Brisbane had been safe for Labor but results so far Saturday night indicate the party's candidate is struggling to hold. Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafuuli was urging the voters of Ipswich West to register a loud protest vote against the Miles Government, and their response has been deafening. At one point on Saturday night the Labor Candidate Wendy Bourne was leading the LNP's Darren Zanow by just one vote with 22 per cent of the ballots counted. The result could be a catastrophic vote of no confidence in new Labor Premier Steven Miles, who replaced three-time election winner Anastacia Palaszczuk in December. So far in Ipswich West Labor has 25.1 per cent of the primary vote -five points ahead of the LNP but it's hoping preferences from One Nation will close the gap to promise what could be a boil over that will hardly auger well for the survival of the Miles Government in the October state election. The seat in Inala vacated by former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will be retained by Labor, but the government looks set to suffer another major swing to the LNP.