LNP 14.5%
Incumbent MP
Ann Leahy, since 2015.
Geography
South-Western Queensland. The seat covers the south-western corner of Queensland, bordering New South Wales and South Australia. Warrego covers Balonne, Bulloo, Murweh, Paroo, Roma and Quilpie council areas and parts of the Western Downs council area. The seat’s major centres include St George, Cunnamulla, Thargomindah, Miles, Roma, Quilpie, Dalby and Charleville.
Redistribution
Warrego gained Quilpie council area from Gregory, lost Chinchilla and Jandowae to Callide and gained Dalby from Condamine. These changes slightly cut the LNP margin from 15.4% to 14.5%.
History
The seat of Warrego has existed continuously since 1865. The seat was held by the ALP continuously from 1908 to 1974. The seat has been held by Country/National/Liberal National MPs since 1974.
Neil Turner won Warrego for the Country Party in 1974. He held the seat until 1986. He later returned to Parliament as Member for Nicklin from 1990 to 1998, when he lost to independent candidate Peter Wellington. He served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1996 to 1998.
Howard Hobbs won Warrego for the National Party in 1986. He was re-elected for a further nine terms, and retired in 2015.
LNP candidate Ann Leahy won the seat in 2015.
Candidates
- Ian Mazlin (Greens)
- Ann Leahy (Liberal National)
- Sandra Bamberry (Independent)
- Mark O’Brien (Labor)
- Rob Loughnan (Katter’s Australian Party)
- Mark Stone (Independent)
Assessment
Warrego is a safe LNP seat on paper, although it’s worth noting that One Nation has polled highly in this area in the past, and if they do well they could threaten the sitting member’s hold on the seat.
2015 election result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing | Redist |
| Ann Leahy | Liberal National | 13,285 | 55.0 | -3.2 | 52.9 |
| Mark O’Brien | Labor | 6,398 | 26.5 | +13.8 | 25.9 |
| Guy Sara | Palmer United Party | 2,179 | 9.0 | +9.0 | 6.2 |
| Ruth Golden | Independent | 1,663 | 6.9 | -6.3 | 4.6 |
| Sandra Bayley | Greens | 649 | 2.7 | +0.7 | 2.9 |
| Katter’s Australian Party | 4.6 | ||||
| Others | 1.6 | ||||
| Family First | 1.3 | ||||
| Informal | 510 | 2.1 |
2015 two-party-preferred result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing | Redist |
| Ann Leahy | Liberal National | 14,255 | 65.4 | -9.6 | 64.5 |
| Mark O’Brien | Labor | 7,531 | 34.6 | +9.6 | 35.5 |
| Exhausted | 2,388 | 9.9 |
Booth breakdown
Booths in Warrego have been divided into four areas: Dalby, Roma, Balonne and the west.
The LNP won a majority of the two-party-preferred vote in three out of four areas, ranging from 62% in Balonne to 67% in Dalby. Labor polled 54% in the west.
| Voter group | LNP 2PP % | Total votes | % of votes |
| Dalby | 67.1 | 6,763 | 27.4 |
| Roma | 64.0 | 4,226 | 17.1 |
| West | 45.9 | 2,107 | 8.5 |
| Balonne | 61.9 | 1,505 | 6.1 |
| Other votes | 68.7 | 10,061 | 40.8 |
Two-candidate-preferred votes in Warrego at the 2015 QLD state election
Labor is again running Mark O’Brien in this seat. Strangely enough, PHON hasn’t got a candidate yet in the field.
I would’ve thought this is exactly the sort of seat her party would target.
Ann Leahy and the LNP will start the early favourites.
Rob Loughnan is standing in the seat for Katter’s Australian Party. Which would explain why PHON isn’t standing here.
Yeah he is a good candidate but noticed that ben hasnt got KAP against his name
here. Rod should get a good vote and with John hill in Condamine might see some movement in the western seats
54% for Labor in west here last remnant of when everything west of divide was safe Labor
LNP retain. Still surprised PHON didn’t run here.