Political Chronicles: Queensland January to June, 2016

Abstract

The relative stability of the parties’ fortunes during the period masked major developments that would bear significant ramifications at the next election. With the Labor minority government still electorally competitive despite critical economic challenges, the Liberal-National Party (LNP) opposition changed leaders after successfully navigating a bill to expand the Legislative Assembly to ninety-three members. The trade-off was a return to compulsory preferential voting and — as mandated by the people at an historic 19 March referendum — a move to fixed, four year parliamentary terms. Major changes to outlaw motorcycle gang legislation and alcohol management laws also saw reform define the period.